Vol. 542 No. 2
367 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the maximum penalties for disobeying a traffic warden, abusing a traffic warden and assaulting a traffic warden; and if he is satisfied that these penalties are a sufficient deterrent to members of the public. [23689/01]
The Local Authorities (Traffic Wardens) Act, 1975, provides that any person who obstructs a traffic warden acting in the course of his or her duty shall be guilty of an offence. It is also an offence for a person to refuse or fail to give his or her name or address to a traffic warden, or to give a name or address which is false or misleading. A person found guilty of such offence shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £150.
I also refer the Deputy to the reply of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to Parliamentary Question No. 31 of 7 March 2000. This makes it clear that a person who assaults a traffic warden in the course of his or her duty or otherwise can be prosecuted under the provisions of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, where there is evidence available to sustain a conviction against the alleged offender. Section 2 of the Act of 1997 creates the offence of assault, section 3, assault causing harm and section 4 creates the offence of assault causing serious harm. I understand the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has been assured by the Garda authorities that these existing provisions are sufficient.
