Five penalty points for uninsured drivers with effect from this weekend

Michael Brennan

Announcing the measure yesterday, Transport Minister Seamus Brennan said law-abiding drivers should not have to pay for the “reckless crime” of others: “The cost to the insurance industry of meeting claims arising from accidents involving uninsured drivers is now running at €50 million a year. Ultimately it is the compliant drivers that are meeting this massive cost through their insurance premiums.”

The Department of Transport estimates that 5% of drivers are uninsured, or 80,000 in total. Although uninsured drivers already receive a criminal conviction, they will now move closer to accumulating 12 penalty points and losing their licence for six months.