Number of learner drivers caught driving unaccompanied jumps 20% in one year
And, in the first six months of 2025, some 4,707 drivers on learner's permits have been fined for driving on Irish roads without a fully licensed driver in the car with them.
The figures were given to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly following a parliamentary question from Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan.
Learner drivers are not allowed to drive on their own without being accompanied by someone who has had their driving licence for more than two years.
Minister O'Callaghan confirmed that those found in contravention of this rule may receive a Fixed Charge Notice and a fine of €160, along with two penalty points. If determined by a court, four penalty points may be issued.
However, he stated that "An Garda Síochána has advised that they are not in a position to report on accurate totals of penalty points issued, as penalty points can be issued in a judgment of a relevant Court on conviction for an offence".
In 2023, some 8,815 learner drivers were given fixed charge notices for driving without a fully licensed driver.
This jumped by 20 per cent in 2024 to 10,579, the figures show.
As of June 4 this year, some 4,707 learner drivers have been caught.
In total, over the course of three years, gardaí have issued 24,101 fixed charge penalty notices.
The Minister also provided Deputy Farrelly with a breakdown of the policing districts where the learner drivers had been caught.
The highest number of fixed charge notices was issued in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) Western. This captures parts of Dublin 15, including Blanchardstown, and areas of Dublin City and South Dublin County Council.
This was followed by DMR Northern, which encompasses districts like Ballymun, Coolock, Raheny and Balbriggan. In the two-and-a-half-year period, some 2,314 learner drivers were caught driving unaccompanied.
This was followed by Kildare/Carlow (1,632), DMR Southern (1,527) and Wexford/Kilkenny (1,503).
The fewest number of unaccompanied drivers who received fixed charge notices was in Sligo/Leitrim, where just 268 drivers were penalised.
This was followed by Donegal (278), DMR Eastern (567), Mayo/Roscommon/Longford (670), Limerick (694) and Clare/Tipperary (822).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Jamie Bryson, two others cleared in NAMA misconduct trial
Three men have been cleared at Belfast Crown Court of charges relating to misconduct in public office. Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, 35, from Rosepark in Donaghadee, and co-accused Thomas O'Hara, 41, from Lisnahunshin Road in Cullybackey, were found not guilty of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, relating to a Stormont committee hearing that examined the sale of the National Asset Management Agency's (NAMA) Northern Ireland assets in 2015. Former Sinn Féin MLA Daithí McKay, 43, from Loughan Road in Dunnamanagh - who was chair of the finance committee at the time, was found not guilty of misconduct in public office. The long-running NAMA trial had related to Mr Bryson's 2015 appearance before the Stormont committee, chaired by Mr McKay, which was investigating the sale of the NAMA's Northern Ireland assets to a US investment fund. The criminal probe was launched after the publication of leaked Twitter messages between Mr Bryson, Mr McKay and the account of Mr O'Hara, who at the time was a Sinn Féin activist in north Antrim. Mr McKay quit as an MLA within hours of the Twitter messages being published in August 2016. The Stormont Finance Committee inquiry was set up in 2015 amid political controversy over the multimillion-pound sale of NAMA's property portfolio north of the border. NAMA was established in 2009 to handle property loans of Irish banks which were facing collapse during the financial crisis. It bought loans which had a book value of about €70 billion for €30 billion and the banks required capital from the State to cover the shortfall left on their balance sheets. It sold its 800 Northern Ireland-linked properties to investment fund Cerberus for £1.2 billion. Giving evidence to the committee in 2015, Mr Bryson used Assembly privilege to name former DUP leader Peter Robinson as a beneficiary of the sale. The then-first minister of Northern Ireland strongly rejected any suggestion he benefited from the deal. All other parties involved in the transaction also denied wrongdoing.
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Breaks your heart' – Locals ‘raw with grief' after child dies in crash on busy Donegal road & another girl critical
A COMMUNITY is "raw with grief" after a young girl was killed in a horror crash in Co Donegal last night. Another child and two adults were rushed to hospital in a serious condition following The young female child, who was a passenger in the car, was fatally injured. The female driver of the car, a male front seat passenger and another female child were all rushed to to Altnagelvin in The three passengers are fighting for their lives in serious condition. Councillor Joy Beard told how news "breaks your heart in two" as she made an emotional appeal for information on the crash last night. READ MORE IN NEWS She said: "I'm struggling to find the words tonight. Tragically a young girl has lost her life in a devastating crash in Carrowmore, Glentogher. "It's the kind of news that stops you in your tracks and breaks your heart in two. "My thoughts and prayers are with the family and everyone who knew and loved her. "A second child, a woman, and a man are fighting for their lives in hospital. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Most read in Irish News "The road remains closed tonight as forensic investigators work to understand what happened. Gardai and RSA measures aimed at driving crash deaths on Irish roads "If you saw anything or have dash cam footage, contact Buncrana Garda Station on 074 932 0540, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station." And He said: "Such heart breaking news this morning about another tragedy on our roads in "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the young girl who has died outside Carndonagh and all of those who are seriously injured." Albert Dohertym Sinn Fein Councillor in the Carndonagh, told 'VERY BUSY ROAD' He said: "Our local community once again is raw with grief and our local community just feel devastated. "Once again a local family have been challenged in having to face the loss of a loved one. It's terrible news here in North Inishowen." The tragedy comes after four people - three men and a woman - were hospitalised following a two-car crash outside Carndonagh on the same road in January. The collision took place on Thursday, January 2 just before 7pm, close to Glentogher National School. 'VERY BUSY ROAD' Late last year, Donegal teen Tiernan Doherty-Kelly, 18 was killed when the car he was driving left the road near Buncrana on the Inishowen Peninsula at around 5am on the morning of Sunday, December 1. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene on the R244, known locally as the Mountain Road, at Ballinlough in Donegal. Detailing conditions on the road yesterday Albert told RTE: "Conditions were, I would say, favourable for driving. "However, our road at that particular time in to Carndonagh, in to the Mallin area it's a very busy road. "Workers are returning after a hard days work, people are leaving the jobs in Letterkenny and Derry." He elaborated: "It's a busy, busy road for a period there." Carndonagh Parish Priest Fr Con McLaughlin said words are not adequate to express how people in the community are feeling. INFO APPEAL Speaking on RTE's Today with Claire Byrne, Fr McLaughlin said: "Pain is no stranger to the people of Inishowen as there have been so so many tragic deaths. "Once again, tragedy has struck our people and I'm quite sure it revives many painful memories for many people in Inishowen as indeed it does for me". Gardai are asking anyone who may have witnessed the fatal collision to make contact with them. In a statement last night, a spokesperson said: "The road is currently closed for a technical examination by Forensic Collision Investigators and local diversions in place. The road will remain closed overnight. "Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. "Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 6pm and 6.30pm this evening Wednesday 2nd July, 2025 are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí. "Anyone with information is asked to contact Buncrana Garda Station at 074 932 0540, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station." 1 Emergency services at the scene of the fatal smash yesterday evening Credit: North West Newspix
Extra.ie
3 hours ago
- Extra.ie
George Gibney to appear in US court over his potential extradition
Former Irish Olympic swimming coach George Gibney, who was arrested in the US on Tuesday, will appear before a US court on July 11 to either fight or accede to extradition to Ireland. Mr Gibney, who is now in his 70s, is facing a total of 79 charges relating to historical sex abuse allegations. Of these, 78 are for indecent assault while one is for attempted rape, court documents filed at the District Court of Orlando, Florida, have shown. These charges relate to allegations made by four girls. They were all aged between eight and 15 at the time and were being coached by Gibney at the time of the alleged abuse. Gibney remains in custody in the US. George Gibney. Pic: Eamonn Farrell/ Speaking yesterday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin praised the cooperation of members of the gardaí with the US justice system. The allegations regarding Gibney were highlighted in a BBC podcast which was released over five years ago. The Garda National Protective Services Bureau has been working on a case following the release of the podcast. After compiling a file, the DPP recommended that he be charged with over 50 historical sexual abuse offences. The Taoiseach told reporters in Japan, according to RTÉ: 'I think we all listened to the podcast. I think it's important that we have an agreement with the US. Gardaí have been working very diligently and in a detailed way, I have no doubt. We will await the next step now.' Taoiseach Micheál Martin praised the cooperation of members of the gardaí with the US justice system. Pic: Leah Farrell/ Mr Gibney served as an Olympic swimming coach in Dublin during the 1980s and 1990s, but he stepped back from the sport following a host of allegations of sexual abuse levelled against him by both male and female swimmers. He had previously appeared before Dún Laoghaire District Court in April 1993, charged with 27 counts of indecency against young swimmers. He was also charged with 'having carnal knowledge' of girls under the age of 15. He managed to stop the prosecution by taking a judicial review, where his legal team argued there was a delay in the offences coming to court. The case eventually ended up in the Supreme Court, which then ruled in Mr Gibney's favour. George Gibney. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland It was then that he left for the US. BBC Sounds and Second Captains produced the podcast series entitled Where is George Gibney?, in which many of Mr Gibney's alleged victims came forward to deliver harrowing testimonies about their experiences. This included 18 new people who had never spoken publicly about the alleged abuse before. 'What was striking was that no men had come forward,' creator of the podcast, Mark Horgan, said. 'There is still a stigma about men who were involved in historic sex abuse cases coming forward. 'We know George Gibney abused boys. I think it's positive for men to know that they'll be believed in Ireland and they're going to be heard too.' Mr Horgan also said that the goal of the podcast was not to get another trial or the extradition of Mr Gibney, who left the country following a failed prosecution in the Nineties. 'The aim was never to get another trial for extradition, the aim was to get the story told to as many people as possible,' he said. 'Perpetrators of abuse want these stories to remain in the dark and for parents not to be aware, and for survivors to stay silent. 'So when we started it was just to get as many people as possible to learn about the stories of George Gibney and for survivors to have their voices heard,' he told RTÉ.
