Gardaí will now have the power to quickly check if a car is uninsured in an attempt to reduce the number of road accidents. 

Using the Garda Mobility App, more than 13,000 Gardaí will be able to check for uninsurance on the roads using a car’s registration. 

Following its introduction, the new system has led to the seizure of 7,307 vehicles since January 2024. 

Justice Minister Helen McEntee and An Garda Síochána Assistant Commissioner for Roads Policing and Community Engagement Paula Hilman introduced the new system. 

Ms Entee told Newstalk Breakfast that “thousands” of cars without insurance or a recent NCT have been taken off the road and impounded. 

“Where a person doesn’t have insurance, if there’s an accident, they're putting themselves and others at risk,” she said. 

“They’re also more likely to engage in other bad driving behaviours.” 

The announcement of the new system comes on National Insurance Enforcement Day as Gardaí focus on detecting drivers who are operating without insurance on Irish roads. 

Driving an uninsured car

Driving a vehicle without insurance is illegal and can result in five penalty points, court appearances and fines. 

Ms Hillman said the new system launched today will put Gardaí in a “stronger position” to “detect those breaking the law”. 

"Improved technology and data sharing are helping to transform road policing in Ireland and ultimately help An Garda Síochána to keep road users safe,” she said. 

“Today’s launch shows the considerable progress that can be achieved when we work in partnership and share data.” 

Minister of State for Transport Jack Chambers also said the new mobility app is “an important moment in the fight against uninsured driving”. 

In 2022, there were approximately 188,000 uninsured private vehicles in Ireland, roughly every one in 12 vehicles. 

Ireland is among the highest-ranking European countries for uninsured vehicles – three times as high as the UK and four times the EU average.