Road Traffic Act 1961
Consequential disqualification orders.
F75[26.—(1) Subject to subsection (5)(b), where a person is convicted of an offence specified in the Second Schedule, the court shall make an order ("consequential disqualification order") declaring him or her to be disqualified for holding a driving licence.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), a consequential disqualification order operates to disqualify the person to whom the order relates for holding any driving licence whatsoever during a specified period or during a specified period and thereafter until he or she has produced to the F76[…] licensing authority, as may be specified in the order, a certificate of competency or a certificate of fitness or both.
(3) A consequential disqualification order resulting from a conviction for an offence under—
(a) section 52 or 53 tried on indictment where the contravention involved the driving of a mechanically propelled vehicle, or
(b) section 106, where—
(i) the offence involved a contravention of F77[paragraph (a), (aa) or (b)] of subsection (1) of that section,
(ii) injury was caused to a person,
(iii) a mechanically propelled vehicle was involved in the occurrence of the injury, and
(iv) the convicted person was the driver of the vehicle concerned,
operates to disqualify the person to whom the order relates for holding any driving licence whatsoever during a specified period and, unless the court is satisfied that a special reason (which it shall specify when making its order) had been proved by the convicted person to exist in his or her particular case such that it should not so operate, thereafter until the person has produced to the F76[…] licensing authority, as may be specified in the order, a certificate of competency or both a certificate of competency and a certificate of fitness.
(4) (a) The period of disqualification specified in a consequential disqualification order shall, where the person to whom the order relates is convicted of an offence under—
(i) section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 consisting of a contravention of subsection (1) of that section,
(ii) section 5(1) of the Road Traffic Act 2010,
(iii) section 52 or 53, tried on indictment,
(iv) section 106, where the offence involved the matters specified in subparagraphs (i) to (iv) of subsection (3)(b) of this section,
F78[(v) section 12, 13B, 14 or 17A of the Road Traffic Act 2010, or]
(vi) section 138(3) of the Railway Safety Act 2005, tried on indictment,
be not less than 4 years in the case of a first offence under the section concerned and not less than 6 years in the case of a second or any subsequent offence under the same section.
(b) The period of disqualification specified in a consequential disqualification order shall, where the person to whom the order relates is convicted of an offence under section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 consisting of a contravention of subsection (2), (3) or (4) of that section or an offence under subsection (2), (3) or (4) of section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 2010, be—
(i) in the case of a first offence under the section concerned, not less than the appropriate period specified in column (3) of the Table to this subsection, and
(ii) in the case of—
(I) a second or subsequent offence under that section, or
F79[(II) a first offence under that section, where the person has been previously convicted of an offence under the other section,]
not less than the appropriate period specified in column (4) of that Table.
F80[(ba) The period of disqualification specified in a consequential disqualification order shall, where the person to whom the order relates is convicted of an offence under section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 consisting of a contravention of subsection (1A) of that section or an offence under subsection (1A) of section 5 of that Act, be—
(i) not less than 1 year, in the case of a first offence under the section concerned, and
(ii) not less than 2 years, in the case of—
(I) a second or subsequent offence under the same section, or
(II) a first offence under that section, where the person has been previously convicted of an offence under the other section.]
(c) In paragraph (b) "appropriate period" means the period that is appropriate having regard to—
(i) the concentration of alcohol in the blood, urine or breath, as the case may be, of the person concerned in relation to which that person was convicted of the offence concerned, and
(ii) the concentrations of alcohol in blood, urine or breath, as may be appropriate, specified in column (2) of the Table to this subsection.
TABLE
Reference Number |
Concentration of alcohol |
First offence under the section concerned |
F81[Second or any subsequent offence under the same section or first offence where previously convicted under the other section] |
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
1. |
(a) Not exceeding 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood; (b) Not exceeding 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine; (c) Not exceeding 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. |
6 months |
1 year |
2. |
(a) Exceeding 80 milligrammes but not exceeding 100 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood; (b) Exceeding 107 milligrammes but not exceeding 135 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine; (c) Exceeding 35 microgrammes but not exceeding 44 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. |
1 year |
2 years |
3. |
(a) Exceeding 100 milligrammes but not exceeding 150 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood; (b) Exceeding 135 milligrammes but not exceeding 200 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine; (c) Exceeding 44 microgrammes but not exceeding 66 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. |
2 years |
4 years |
4. |
(a) Exceeding 150 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood; (b) Exceeding 200 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine; (c) Exceeding 66 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. |
3 years |
6 years |
(5) (a) Subject to paragraph (b), the period of disqualification specified in a consequential disqualification order shall, where the person to whom the order relates is convicted of an offence under section 52 or 53 tried summarily or under section 56, be not less than 2 years in the case of a first offence under the section concerned and not less than 4 years in the case of a second or any subsequent offence under the same section committed within the period of 3 years from the date of the commission of the previous offence or, in the case of more than one such offence, the last such offence.
(b) Where a person is convicted of an offence under section 52 tried summarily or under section 56, the court may, in the case of a first offence under the section concerned, where it is satisfied that a special reason (which it shall specify when making its order) has been proved by the convicted person to exist in his or her particular case to justify such a course—
(i) decline to make a consequential disqualification order, or
(ii) specify a period of disqualification in the consequential disqualification order of less than 1 year.
(6) The period of disqualification specified in a consequential disqualification order shall, in a case not coming within subsection (4) or (5), be not less than 1 year.
(7) Where a person is convicted of an offence under section 49 or 50 of this Act or section 13 or 15 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 ("the former section") whether before or after the commencement of section 4, 5, 12 or 14 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 and is subsequently convicted of one or more offences under any other of those sections ("the latter section") the conviction under the latter section shall, for the purposes of this section, be regarded as a second or, as the case may be, a subsequent conviction for an offence under the latter section.
(8) Where a person is convicted of an offence ("the latter conviction") under section 49 or 50 of this Act or section 13 or 15 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 whether before or after the commencement of section 4, 5, 12 or 14 of the Road Traffic Act 2010, and
(a) the conviction is, or is by virtue of subsection (7) to be regarded as, a second or subsequent conviction for an offence under the same section, and
(b) a period of 4 years or more during which such person was not disqualified for holding a driving licence has elapsed since the previous conviction of the person by reference to which the later conviction is, or is by virtue of subsection (7) to be regarded as, a second or subsequent conviction,
the court may, for the purposes of this section, deal with the later conviction as a first conviction.
(9) Subje and (11), in every case in which an appeal may be brought in respect of a conviction for an offence on conviction of which a consequential disqualification order may be made, jurisdiction to make, confirm, annul or vary a consequential disqualification order is conferred on the appellate court unless it otherwise has that jurisdiction or the conferring of that jurisdiction is unnecessary because the appeal is by way of rehearing.
(10) A consequential disqualification order shall not be annulled on appeal unless—
(a) the conviction by reference to which it was imposed is reversed, or
(b) the provisions of subsection (5)(b) apply.
(11) Where a consequential disqualification order is, on an appeal, made or varied, the requirements of subsections (2) to (7) shall be complied with and the provisions of subsection (8), where relevant, shall also apply. ]
Annotations
Amendments:
F75
Substituted (28.11.2011) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (25/2010), s. 65(1), S.I. No. 543 of 2011.
F76
Deleted (12.01.2013) by Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act 2012 (16/2012), s. 50(c)(i), S.I. No. 5 of 2013.
F77
Substituted (8.02.2016) by Public Transport Act 2016 (3/2016), s. 8(b), commenced on enactment.
F78
Substituted (13.04.2017) by Road Traffic Act 2016 (21/2016), s. 21(1)(a), S.I. No. 129 of 2017.
F79
Substituted (12.01.2013) by Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act 2012 (16/2012), s. 50(c)(ii), S.I. No. 5 of 2013.
F80
Inserted (13.04.2017) by Road Traffic Act 2016 (21/2016), s. 21(1)(b), S.I. No. 129 of 2017.
F81
Substituted (12.01.2013) by Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act 2012 (16/2012), s. 50(c)(iii), S.I. No. 5 of 2013.
Modifications (not altering text):
C32
Application of section extended by Road Traffic Act 2010 (25/2010), s. 65(4) as inserted (28.10.2011) by Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011 (28/2011), s. 10, S.I. No. 542 of 2011.
Consequential disqualification orders.
65.— ...
(4) For the purposes of section 26 of, and the Second Schedule to, the Principal Act (inserted by this section)—
(a) the reference to section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in—
(i) paragraph 4 of the Second Schedule to, and
(ii) section 26(4)(a)(i) and 26(4)(b) of,
the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 49 of the Principal Act,
(b) the reference to section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in—
(i) paragraph 5 of the Second Schedule to, and
(ii) section 26(4)(b) of,
the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 50 of the Principal Act,
(c) the reference to section 5(1) of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in section 26(4)(a)(ii) of the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 50(1) of the Principal Act,
(d) the reference to section 12 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in—
(i) paragraph 6 of the Second Schedule to, and
(ii) section 26(4)(a)(v) of,
the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 13 of the Road Traffic Act 1994, and
(e) the reference to section 14 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in—
(i) paragraph 6 of the Second Schedule to, and
(ii) section 26(4)(a)(v) of,
the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 15 of the Road Traffic Act 1994.
C33
Application of section extended (21.10.2006) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I No. 537 of 2006), reg. 16.
Application of certain provisions of Act to provisional licences.
16. Section 22(2), (4) and (5), sections 26 and 27, section 28(1), (3), (4) and (5) and sections 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 39 and 41 of the Act apply in relation to provisional licences as if a reference to a driving licence in any of those provisions were a reference to a provisional licence, except that —
(a) a consequential or ancillary disqualification order does not operate so as to disqualify a person for holding a provisional licence for a period after a specified period until he or she has produced to the appropriate licensing authority a certificate of competency,
(b) the application of section 22(5) of the Act to provisional licences does not operate so as to disqualify a person who holds a driving licence in respect of vehicles of a category or categories, for applying for a provisional licence in respect of that category or any of those categories for the purpose of learning to drive in order to pass a test where, by virtue of any provision of the Act, he or she is required to produce a certificate of competency, and
(c) where the holder of a provisional licence in respect of vehicles of a category for any period has been granted a certificate of competency in respect of that category, he or she shall not by virtue of the application of section 22(5) of the Act to provisional licences, be disqualified for applying for a driving licence in respect of that category for any period within the period for which the provisional licence has been granted.
Editorial Notes:
E305
Procedure prescribed for orders made under section (21.10.2006) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 537 of 2006), reg. 44 and part 9 (regs. 42 to 52), as amended (19.01.2013) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 6 of 2013), reg. 3, in effect as per reg 1(2).
E306
Previous affecting provision: subs. (4)(a)(v) substituted (26.11.2014) by Road Traffic Act 2014 (3/2014), s. 13(a), S.I. No. 535 of 2014; substituted as per F-note above.
E307
Previous affecting provision: section amended (5.03.2007) by Road Traffic Act 2006 (23/2006), s. 6(1)(a) to (e), S.I. No. 86 of 2007.
E308
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (15.11.1999) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 352 of 1999), art. 19, in effect as per art. 2; revoked and superseded (21.10.2006) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 537 of 2006), reg. 5(a), in effect as per reg. 2, as per C-note above.
E309
Previous affecting provision: subss. (3) and (4) substituted (25.05.1995) by Road Traffic Act 1995 (7/1995), s. 2, commenced on enactment.
E310
Previous affecting provision: section substituted (2.12.1994) by Road Traffic Act 1994 (7/1994), s. 26, S.I. No. 350 of 1994.
E311
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (2.12.1994) by Road Traffic Act 1994 (7/1994), s. 29(1), S.I. No. 350 of 1994; repealed (30.10.2007) by Road Traffic Act 2006 (23/2006), s. 11(4), S.I. No. 718 of 2007.
E312
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (13.11.1989) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1989 (S.I. No. 285 of 1989), art. 18; revoked and superseded (15.11.1999) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 352 of 1999), art. 57 and sch. 8, and art. 19 as per E-note above.
E313
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (1.10.1984) by European Communities (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1984 (S.I. No. 234 of 1984), reg. 5; revoked (15.11.1999) by European Communities (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 351 of 1999), reg. 3 and superseded (15.11.1999) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 352 of 1999), art. 19 as per above E-note.
E314
Previous affecting provision: section amended (18.07.1984) by Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 1984 (16/1984), s. 3(4), commenced on enactment; amended as per above E-note.
E315
Previous affecting provision: section amended (20.07.1978) by Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 1978 (19/1978), s. 25, S.I. No. 192 of 1978; amended as per above F-notes.
E316
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (18.03.1964) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1964 (S.I. No. 29 of 1964), reg. 18; revoked (13.11.1989) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1989 (S.I. No. 285 of 1989), reg. 60 and sch. 7.