Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 May 2004
188 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Transport if he intends to give traffic wardens the power to examine identification cards and to have an examinable photograph on such cards of disabled parkers to ensure that disabled parking spaces are not abused and are only used by those entitled to use them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14684/04]
View answerThe Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997, which came into force on 1 October 1997, introduced a number of significant changes in relation to the application of parking laws to disabled persons in Ireland. The regulations provided for new arrangements in respect of disabled persons parking permit, which can be issued by local authorities, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association. The permits are available to any person who is suffering from a disability that prevents that person from walking or causes undue hardship to the person in walking. The permit is issued in respect of a named person, who can be a driver or a passenger, and must be displayed in any vehicle being used for the transportation and convenience of that person. The regulations also provide for recognition of a disabled persons' parking permit issued by any State provided the permit contains the recognised pictorial symbol of a person sitting in a wheelchair.
The 1997 regulations do not determine the format of the permit. However, in January 1998 local authorities were advised to use a format for a permit that had been prepared by the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association which was modelled on a common form of permit being developed by the European Union. That format which includes the provision of a photograph, positioned on the back of the card, of the card holder was validated in a EU recommendation, C98/376/EC, on 4 June 1998. This recommendation further provides that the card, when in use, be displayed at the front of the vehicle in such a way that the front of the card is clearly visible for checking purposes.
It is a matter for a traffic warden to determine whether in his or her opinion a vehicle has been parked in contravention of the requirements applying to disabled persons' permits or in place or manner which contravenes the parameters laid down for the use of such permits.
