Conor Lenihan
Question:181 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on illegal parking of travellers on public pavements; and the discussions, if any, he has had with the Garda authorities. [22968/99]
Written Answers. - Traveller Community.
Conor Lenihan
Question:182 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will allay the widespread and commonly held view that the Garda Síochána do not enforce the full rigours of the law in relation to illegal activity by members of the travelling community. [22969/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 182 together.
As the Deputy has not specified any particular geographical area in his question in relation to illegal parking, I have confined my response to the position in the Dublin metropolitan area. I have been assured by the Garda authorities that there is no significant problem of illegal parking of travellers on public pavements within the Dublin metropolitan area.
However, I am informed by the Garda authorities that when the need arises, the gardaí can act to deal with situations where travellers park on footpaths under the Roads Act, 1993 and Housing (Travellers Accommodation) Act, 1998. Also on occasions fines-on-the-spot have been issued in accordance with the provisions of the Litter Pollution Act 1997.
I understand that Garda powers were utilised recently as follows:
(I)nine caravan owners were prosecuted under section 69(1) Roads Act, 1993, on 5 November 1999. As a result, I understand that all of the travellers involved moved from where they were illegally camped at a site at Loughlinstown.
(II) Furthermore, travellers parked on a pavement at City West dispersed following service of a section 10 notice under the Housing (Travellers Accommodation) Act, 1998, on 30 July 1999.
Where offences take place on private property, the matter is left to civil remedy. Owners of private property have intervened by way of court orders. I understand that incidents of illegal parking on pavements are confined to three divisions within the Dublin metropolitan region i.e. east, south and western division. Where incidents are reported to the gardaí the travellers move when requested to do so by gardaí and no serious confrontational situations have arisen.
I assure the Deputy that there is no basis for the alleged view that the Garda Síochána do not enforce the full rigours of the laws in relation to illegal activity by members of the travelling community. I am further assured by the Garda authorities that the criminal law is enforced in a uniform manner throughout the state and all people are similarly subject to the law.