There was a 21% increase in the number of penalty point notices issued for speeding last year.
The total number of penalty point notices issued for all offences also rose, despite the COVID-19 restrictions.
These new figures have been released by the Department of Transport under the Freedom of Information Act.
Travel restrictions were in place for much of 2020, but these figures show over 10,000 more penalty point notices were issued last year than in 2019.
The total figure for 2020 was 197,631, compared to 187,554 the year before.
By far the biggest increase relates to speeding, with nearly 144,000 notices issued for this offence in 2020 - nearly 25,000 more than in 2019.
Donna Price, from the Irish Road Victims Association, says the increase is very surprising.
She said: "I think it's down to a certain cohort of drivers who have absolutely no regard for the road traffic laws, their own safety or the safety of others.
"An Garda Síochana have been out on the road in much greater numbers because of the pandemic, and there are higher levels of protections.
"Greater enforcement is key to saving lives - we have to deny law-breaking drivers the use of the roads."
Nearly 21,000 penalty point notices were issued for driving a mobile phone while driving.
There were over 4,200 issued to learners for having a fully qualifier driver with them.
