Report says points system in chaos

A confidential Garda report on the much-vaunted penalty points system for motorists has claimed that the scheme is in chaos and on the verge of collapse due to a lack of resources.

Gardaí have been operating the scheme manually since its introduction in October and the report from Garda headquarters in Dublin claims that officers are barely able to cope with the strain.

The report warns that the penalty points system is so inefficient that people who fail to pay speeding tickets may escape without a fine or penalty points because gardaí may not be able to process their summonses on time.

A spokesman for Transport Minister Seamus Brennan said he only received the report last night and will study it in full before making any comment.