Senior gardaí 'absolutely welcome' new oversight of penalty points system

Senior gardaí have welcomed new measures to ensure the penalty points system is protected from abuse.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald yesterday announced a judge is being appointed as an independent authority to oversee the scheme.

It coincided with a report showing that since new measures were brought in last June, the number of penalty points being cancelled erroneously has dropped dramatically. That report also showed that one in six cases where penalty points are cancelled warrants further investigation.

President of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors Tim Galvin said the new step was another positive development.

"We absolutely welcome it, yes," he said. "We all need oversight and we don’t have an issue at all with a High Court judge being appointed."