asked the Minister for Justice if he will consider relaxing traffic regulations in Dublin during the Christmas season, so as to avoid unnecessary interference with Christmas shopping.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Traffic Regulations: Christmas Relaxation.
30.
I am satisfied that there is not unnecessary interference with Christmas shopping but that, on the contrary, Christmas shoppers, as well as the general body of road users, are greatly facilitated by the new arrangements, including the rigid enforcement of the "no-waiting rule" in the streets to which it applies.
Facilitated where? In Dún Laoghaire?
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, would he not consider waiving the regulations which restrict parking to 20 minutes? Is he not aware there has been a very considerable decline in the volume of business transacted in retail stores in the centre of the city? Does he not advert to the fact that one of the purposes of traffic regulations is to facilitate people to come into the city to transact their business, and that a very great mitigation of the present inconvenience would result from extending the period during which individuals may park their cars in authorised parking places from 20 minutes to, say, an hour?
I am satisfied, from meeting deputations of Dublin traders and from my own personal investigations, that there is no serious volume of interference with Christmas shopping in any way. The Deputy will realise that by far the vast majority of Christmas shoppers use the buses, and in so as far as the new regulations have made it possible to have a free flow of traffic, they have convenienced the majority. The main reason for the enforcement of the no-waiting rule and the 20 minute waiting rule is to deal with the person who parks his car in the street all day. The fact that we have succeeded in eliminating that type of parking in the central city area has been generally welcomed by both shoppers and traders.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary not aware that a great many people in a position to judge honestly believe there has been a serious disruption of retail trade in the centre of the city? Secondly, if that is so, would it not be a very great mitigation of the hardship under which they believe themselves to labour if this period were extended to one hour? Thirdly, does the Parliamentary Secretary not advert to the fact that part of the joy of Christmas shopping is an atmosphere of bustle and——
Chaos?
No, an atmosphere of bustle and crowd. I have been in the retail trade a damn sight longer than the Parliamentary Secretary.
I have never been in it.
The purpose of all the advertisement is to create an atmosphere of bustle and crowd. Does the Parliamentary Secretary realise you can come in on some roads to Dublin at present and you might as well be motoring across the Sahara, because you would not see a car at all? Would the Parliamentary Secretary not consider that the concession of extending the parking period from 20 minutes to an hour, thus allowing something more like the normal volume of business to be transacted, would be a very great mitigation and would encourage people to come into town who are not now coming?
There are 200 car park attendants in the city and a large number of them have been affected by these new regulations. Many of them have had their incomes reduced by half, and they have complained to me. In support of Deputy Dillon, I would say that the most successful dance is the packed house.
And the most successful shop is the packed shop.
There were a lot of empty shops in Grafton Street this morning.
Some Fine Gael people do not know enough to get out of their own way.
Look to your own house first.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the new regulations severely interfere with the livelihood of taxi-drivers, who are prevented from waiting a few minutes for passengers outside shops?
In the first instance, I am not satisfied there is any disruption of any importance. Indeed, I have received a communication from one of the leading stores in Dublin which assures me that their custom and trade have not been interfered with at all. That is the response which I have had generally from Dublin traders. As far as one can measure public reaction among bus passengers, motorists and pedestrians, the reaction is, on the whole, favourable. In these circumstances I do not feel called upon to make any change whatever in the regulations.
With regard to the taxi and car rental people, I have arranged to meet a deputation from them shortly and I shall see whether I can facilitate them.
Is it not notorious——
What does the Deputy know about Dublin?
——that, in fact, cars are going to be allowed to park for an hour? I am giving the Parliamentary Secretary an opportunity of saying so officially so as to allow people to come into the city. What is happening is that they are being allowed to park for an hour but they are not getting the encouragement to come in. Why do you not say to the Guards not to prosecute those who delay not more than an hour? It will make a great contribution. We all know damn well that you have done it already. Have you no sense?
What does the Parliamentary Secretary know about the city? He thinks nobody knows anything about it but himself. We know his qualification.
Major de Valera
He has a great deal more qualifications than many people who held office in the previous Government.
What is the Deputy talking about? The Leader of this Party is employing more people than the whole of the Fianna Fáil front bench.
Order.
What about all the University jobs?