Industry News from Yes Insurance

Motorists disqualified from driving in Northern Ireland as well as the rest of the UK will see their bans stretched south to the Republic from April 2008.

This new initiative, agreed on at last week's British-Irish Council meeting, may be accompanied by a reciprocal penalty points system at some point next year.

Such a scheme could see disqualified UK drivers pick up further punishment if they are caught on the road in the Republic. It may also compromise their car insurance policy the next time they come to renew.

And a spokesman for foreign affairs minister Dermot Ahern commented that the move is an important one for the welfare of Irish motorists.

"The issue of driver disqualification and reciprocal penalty points is at the core of motor safety," said the source.

Meanwhile, drivers in the south of England may want to reconsider any road journeys they plan to make in light of recent flooding.

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