John Bruton
Question:154 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment if he will introduce more severe penalties for car theft in view of the rash of car thefts in the east Meath area.
Written Answers. - Penalties for Car Theft.
It is an offence under the Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1987, to use or take possession of a mechanically propelled vehicle without the consent of the owner or other lawful authority. A person found guilty of such an offence is liable, (a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £1,000 or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to both such fine and such imprisonment; or (b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding £2,000 or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
I am advised that at present a penalty of £1,000 is considered to be the maximum which can reasonably be applied on summary conviction in relation to the trial of offences in the District Court. I have no immediate proposals to provide for increased penalties where there is a conviction on indictment in the Circuit Court but I will keep the position in this regard under review.
I understand that the law on larceny also applies to car theft and that legislation in this area was significantly updated and improved by the Larceny Act, 1990. This introduced a new, standard penalty of up to ten years imprisonment for larceny, created a new offence of handling stolen goods and updated the law on the possession of implements intended for use in larceny. The courts were also given power to impose fines on persons found guilty of these offences, in addition to or in substitution for any term of imprisonment.