More than 17,000 motorists have been issued with penalty points since the system began last October, the Minister for Transport said today.
Mr Brennan pointed to statistics showing the system had brought a 32 per cent drop in road deaths in the period from October 31st, 2002, to April 28th of this year.
The number of road deaths recorded for this six-month period was 143, a drop of 68 on the same period in the preceding 12 months when 211 people died on the roads.
The Department of Transport figures show 17,361 drivers have received two penalty points, 245 have received four, eight got six points, and one driver in Dublin has accumulated eight penalty points.
The figures also give a county-by-county breakdown showing Dublin at the top of the league where 4,867 drivers had points added to their licence. Cork was second with 1,930 and Kildare in third place with 738. Co Leitrim saw the least amount of penalty point issued, with 87 drivers penalised.
Penalty points were introduced for speeding offences only last October. Drivers caught speeding get two points on their licences or four points if they choose to contest the violation in court and lose. An accumulation of 12 points means disqualification for six months.
Mr Brennan also confirmed the Department would be proceeding with the introduction of penalty points for driving without insurance from June 1st - and the non-wearing of a seatbelt from July 1st next.
Commenting on today's figures, he said: "The message to those drivers who speed is stark and simple - if you speed you will get penalty points, if you persistently break speed limits you will loose your licence".
The Garda announced today it would be mounting another road safety campaign over the coming bank holiday weekend. "Operation Taisteal" will run from midnight tonight until midnight on Monday.
