Vol. 405 No. 6
27 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he will as a matter for urgency, arrange to set up an inter-departmental committee representing his Department and the Departments of the Environment and Justice to examine legislation and recommend amended or new legislation which could be used by local authorities and gardaí to resolve the problem of transient traders and unauthorised parking of caravans in an effective and speedy manner.
As Minister for Industry and Commerce I have responsibility for the Casual Trading Act, 1980. This provides a framework for local authorities to regulate such trading, whether carried out by transient traders or others. It is the Garda Síochána who, in the main, enforce the Act.
The Casual Trading Act is not intended to deal with parking problems and I have no function in relation to this aspect of the question. Accordingly, I do not intend to set up a committee as suggested in the question.
