Vol. 482 No. 8
248 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform whether the Road Traffic Act, 1994 is being implemented to his satisfaction regarding the seizure of stolen cars which is his responsibility in view of the injuries and a fatality caused in Dublin North East to innocent citizens. [19481/97]
I have been assured by the Garda authorities that the enforcement of the provisions of the road traffic Acts is being given a high priority by the Garda and that this policy will continue. Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act, 1994, empowers the Garda to seize a vehicle if any one or all of the following circumstances are satisfied: the driver has no licence or is ineligible to hold one by reason of age; the driver has no insurance; the vehicle is untaxed for more than three months.
Stolen cars may or may not come within these provisions. So far as they do, the Act is being implemented as already indicated.
The Garda make every effort to locate and seize stolen cars per se, and when they do so the cars are returned to their rightful owner as soon as practicable.
