Irish motorists may face speeding fines based on how much they earn under a new proposal by the Road Safety Authority. The proposal is yet to be signed off by the Government but would be similar to a new regime introduced this week in the UK.
From Monday, new guidelines in England and Wales mean speeding fines equivalent of 1½ times the motorist's weekly salary can be imposed.
Under new guidelines for magistrates, motorists caught doing 51mph (82km/h) in a 30mph (48km/h) zone or 101mph (163km/h) on a motorway will face fines from 150 per cent of their weekly income, rather than the previous level of 100 per cent.
If a similar law were introduced in the State some people could face hefty fines.
Based on their public office salaries and not including any private sources of income the following people could face minimum fines as follows.
– Minister for Transport Shane Ross: Based on an annual salary of €161,451 (€89,965 for being a TD plus €71,486 for being a Minister) giving a weekly salary of €3,104 and a potential fine of €4,657.24.
– Taoiseach Enda Kenny: Based on a salary of €190,233 (€89,965 for being a TD and €100,268 for being Taoiseach), giving a weekly wage of €3,658.32 and a potential fine of €5,487.
– The average industrial worker was paid €844.40 a week in the last quarter of 2016, according to the Central Statistics Office. This would expose them to a potential fine of €1,266.60.
– Those working in financial, insurance and property on an average of €1,095.60 per week would face a potential fine of €1,643.40
– A Garda trainee on the first point on the incremental pay scale and before allowances would earn €28,405.30 a year (€546.26 a week), according to the Garda website. This would incur a potential fine of €819.39.
– A secondary school teacher on the first point of a 25-point pay scale earns €596.32 per week, giving a potential liability of €894.
