Legislation banning the use of hand held mobile phones while driving will be introduced in the Dáil by the end of March, the Department of Transport has said.
Provisions of the new Road Traffic Bill, will pave the way for mobile phone use in cars to be subject to driving licence penalty points.
The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, will be "closely watching the experience of the recent UK ban" in formulating the new legislation, a Department spokesman said.
The ban will exclude the use of "handsfree" kits fitted into vehicles, and will, "leave enough leeway to take account of technologies that might develop in the future," the spokesman said.
The legislation comes two years after Mr Bobby Molloy, then minister for the environment, tried to introduce regulations preventing motorists having "on or about their person" a mobile phone while driving.
Following Garda concerns that the law would be unworkable the former Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, referred the regulation to the Attorney General, who determined that it would require full legislation.
Mr Brian Farrell of the National Safety Council said he would like to see the use of mobile phones while driving become a penalty points offence as soon as possible. "I would applaud the introduction of this Bill. Statistics have shown that you are four times more likely to be involved in a crash if using a hand-held mobile phone."
In Britain a service by a motor breakdown group found that the most important item for motorists in harsh winter conditions is a mobile phone. Autonational Rescue said as many as 77 per cent of motorists carry a mobile. A ban on using handset car mobiles was introduced in the North from this week. Drivers there caught using the phones face fines of up to £1,000. A similar law came into force in Britain in December.
Under the new laws anyone caught using hand-held phones while driving will receive a £30 fixed penalty notice or a maximum fine of £1,000.
Research by a Northern Ireland leading retailer Phones 4u published last week showed more than half of 500 motorists surveyed in Belfast also said they would flout the laws if they thought they could get away with it.
Phones 4u Northern Ireland sales director Mr Peter Magee said: "Drivers should be aware that they may still be charged for driving without due care and attention even if they're using a hands-free kit. By far the safest way to make and receive calls while at the wheel is to pull over when convenient and come to a complete stop."
