asked the Minister for Local Government why it was decided to increase parking fines by 100 per cent.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Increased Parking Fines.
142.
I would refer the Deputy to my public statement of 28th January, 1971, on this matter.
The £1 fine was a deterrent but the £2 fine is far too severe a penalty. Will the Minister tell the House why he increased the parking fines? Will he also tell the House how the people doing the job are paid?
That is a separate question altogether.
All the same the Minister should reply to it because it is a disgrace to increase these fines to £2.
Will the Minister not agree that Dáil Éireann is the place to make these important statements? Why is the Minister by-passing this House?
Does the Deputy really want to know?
I suppose the Government get more publicity out of doing it that way. Dáil Éireann is the place where the Government should make these statements.
Even if we stayed here seven days a week 24 hours a day we could not possibly announce all the many matters which are decided daily in Departments. The whole country would come to a standstill and well the Deputy knows it. It is a highly impractical suggestion.
(Interruptions.)
Why have these fines been increased?
The reason was that the £1 fine was not acting as a deterrent.
The Minister can rest assured that a £1 fine to most people was a sufficient deterrent.
But it was not acting as a deterrent.
A £1 fine was certainly a deterrent to me.
We cannot have a discussion on the matter. I am calling Question 143.