Justice minister Helen McEntee and junior minister Neale Richmond today attended the formal launch of the new Irish Motor Insurance Database, maintained by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI).

An Garda Síochána conducted a demonstration of the use of the database in conjunction with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology near Millenium Park in Blanchardstown, Dublin.

Mrs McEntee said: “The Irish Motor Insurance Database is an important tool for An Garda Síochána to detect and pursue those who drive on our roads without insurance.

“The information-sharing between the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland and An Garda Síochána, will play a significant role in improving road safety and I thank everybody involved for their work on developing and progressing this initiative.”

She added: “It is great to see first-hand the efficiency and effectiveness of the new technology that government has invested in for gardaí — mobile devices, automatic number plate recognition, and information-sharing technologies — all of which strengthen the ability of gardaí to tackle criminality and contribute to the improved safety of our roads and our communities.”

Mr Richmond added: “Gardaí now have access to the Irish Motor Insurance Database, meaning that they can identify in real time cars driving without insurance. This data sharing between the insurance industry and the gardaí can be a game chamber in detecting uninsured drivers and will make our roads safer for us all.”