More than 2,700 motor insurance claims relating to uninsured or untraced drivers were made last year, according to figures released by the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland.

While the figures show a small decrease on the number of claims made in 2016, it is almost 10% more than such claims lodged in 2015.

Dublin had the highest number of claims relating to uninsured drivers at 1,140 - or almost half the 2017 total - followed by Cork with 212 and Limerick with 156.

The bureau said that in late 2016, there were 151,000 uninsured private vehicles in the country.

MIBI Chief Executive David Fitzgerald said it is also working to address the number of fraudulent claims that are made by uninsured drivers

Mr Fitzgerald said: "In 2016, we witnessed a significant step up in the number of claims the MIBI receives and that level was sustained in 2017.

"When you compare the current level of claims to the approximately 2,400 to 2,500 claims range we experienced in the years up to and including 2015, you can see there has been a marked increase.

"There are a number of factors behind this change, including the number of uninsured drivers operating on Irish roads.

"As the MIBI outlined in late 2016, at that time there were over 151,000 uninsured private vehicles in the Republic of Ireland.

"We are continuing to work with the Gardaí, the State and the rest of the motor insurance industry to bring forward measures that will help combat this problem."