The State lost out on at least €7.4m in potential revenue as a result of summonses not being served on motorists in just two years, according to the report of the Garda Inspectorate.
The sum, based on figures calculated by the Comptroller and Auditor General, is a conservative figure.
The Garda Inspectorate also found consistent and widespread breaches of policy by those charged with administering the fixed charge processing system.
Following a detailed examination of the cancellation of fixed charge notices and analysis of the current system, the inspectorate said it was told by senior gardaí that the extent of the deficiencies within the fixed charge processing system would not have been detected, but for the public scrutiny.
The inspectorate said that with few exceptions, it found no meaningful evidence of consistent quality management of the cancellation process either at Garda HQ, regional, divisional, district or any level that would have detected and rectified the problem.
It has recommended a complete overhaul of the entire fixed charge processing system, saying nothing short of significant collaborative change will bring it into the 21st century.
The inspectorate described the current system as technically deficient, inefficient and excessively resourced.
It said that while it can be fixed, it should not be done through "ad hoc, short-term or narrowly focused adjustment".
Analysis and findings on the current system
The inspectorate said its examination of the current fixed charge processing system identified many of the concerns already highlighted in the published Garda Síochána and Comptroller and Auditor General's reports on the system.
Among the deficiencies identified - requests for cancellations of fixed charge notices over the phone which is a breach of current policy which requires that the requests must be in writing.
It also noted an absence of any structured training guide on the implementation of any aspect of the FCPS policy.
There is no training for district officers who have adjudicated on appeals from members of the public to have a fixed charge notice cancelled.
It found no evidence of auditing of regular divisional or headquarters auditing of district in terms of how FCPS are processed.
The report notes on a number of occasions in this report that the FCPS is low on the list of overall priorities of District Officers who have a number of other responsibilities.
But the Garda Inspectorate believes a rigorous audit process is required if public confidence in the system is to be restored.
It highlights an audit by the fixed charge processing office over a nine-month period between January and September 2013 of notes used by gardaí to record fixed charge offences – 65% of the notes sent back to the garda station for correction were not returned to the FCPO.
This cost the Exchequer €500,000 in potential revenue loss because the offences could not be processed.
In another instance, an audit of summons issued between 2011 and 2012 showed that over half the summons (52%) were not served.
The inspectorate said it put a conservative estimate on the potential lose to the Exchequer in that year at a minimum of €7.4m.
It said a review of the process by which summonses are served is required and which would make recommendations to provide a more efficient summons serving process.
Company cars
The inspectorate also calls for legislative changes to address the problem with issuing fixed charge notices for company cars, which were identified as far back as 2003.
Because companies do not always nominate persons driving their vehicle at the time of the offences, summonses are automatically cancelled because penalty points can only be assigned to a driving licence holder.
The Garda Inspector recommends the department consider imposing financial penalties on those companies that do not nominate details of the person driving the vehicle at the time of the offence.
Similarly with hire cars and unregistered vehicles, the inspectorate said consideration should be given to introducing legislation providing for penalties where hire car companies fail to supply driver details or those who fail to register their vehicle.
Production of driving licences in court
The Garda Inspectorate describes as a very serious issue the fact that there is no system to ensure penalty points are endorsed on the driving licences of offenders who do not bring their driving licence to court.
In an 18-month period between March 2012 and August 2013, only 40% of the 16,493 offenders who were convicted of penalty point offences across all district courts, had their driving licences endorsed. The remaining 60% avoided penalty points.
Garda robot vans
The inspectorate says it is unclear to it what if any significant additional role or function these vans provide in road traffic offence detection that could not be provided by the Garda Síochana safety camera private operator.
It says the cost of maintaining and operating these vans are unnecessary and inefficient and it recommends that the non-intercept detection of road traffic offences be fully outsourced.
The report also recommends the introduction of an online payment option for the payment of fixed charge notices.
It also recommends that the Criminal Justice Working Group review the 454 fixed charge offences currently listed and make recommendations as to whether some of these offences should be dealt with through an administrative process rather than further congest the local district courts.
In 2012, around 8,300 offenders were committed to prison for the non-payment of fines.
