Committee Makes Range of Proposals to Road Traffic Bill

The Committee has published its submission to the Minister on the Road Traffic (No.2) Bill 2011. This Bill sets out the intentions of the Minister in respect of a number of issues under road traffic legislation. The Committee met with Minister Varadkar in July as part of a new process which enables Oireachtas Committees to consider legislation at an early stage and have a more meaningful input into law making.

The Committee has recommended that a 50% reduction be introduced on parking fines paid within 14 days. A similar scheme operates in Northern Ireland1 and it has proved effective at reducing administration costs and encouraging people to pay fines in a more timely fashion.

The Committee has also recommended that penalty points be imposed on the last registered owners of illegally dumped cars to ensure they take proper responsibility for their disposal.

Committee Chairman, Ciaran Lynch TD said;
“Firstly, the Committee believes that the opportunity afforded to us to contribute to legislation at an earlier stage is positive. It gives Oireachtas members a more significant input into drafting the country’s laws.

We broadly welcome the provisions of the new bill, but we have made a few suggestions and identified some concerns which we feel will result in better, more effective legislation.

On a practical level, we believe that by discounting fines for parking tickets motorists will be encouraged to pay in timely fashion, such as system has proved very effective in the North. We are also recommending that a more stringent system be introduced to encourage more responsible disposal of cars to help combat illegal dumping which is a serious problem in some parts of the country. ”

Some of the other suggestions in Committee’s submission are;

• The planned centralisation of the driving license system away from Local Authorities could mean a loss of earnings for these bodies. The Committee would like clarification on the implications for local authorities.
• Advice is needed from the Attorney General on the constitutionality of taking blood specimens from unconscious drivers.
• Provisional license holders should be obliged to undertake a test within a specific period.
• Driving instruction should be compulsory on the school curriculum.
• The proposal to move the tests for roadworthiness of commercial vehicles to a centralised location and away from local garages could impact on employment in local garages.
• NCT test centres should issue reminders in respect of NCT renewal dates to motorists.

In future, the Committee intends to use every available opportunity to carry out pre-legislative scrutiny in consultation with the Minister and relevant stakeholders.

ENDS
Daniel English
Oireachtas Communications Office
01 618 4484
087 6949926

1. In Northern Ireland, the amount of a parking ticket is £60, however if you pay within 14 days, a 50 per cent discount is applied and you may pay £30. If a parking ticket is not paid within 28 days, a Notice to Owner will issue to the registered keeper of the vehicle. When a Notice to Owner has been issued, the parking ticket must be paid within 28 days or a Charge Certificate will be issued. The effect of a Charge Certificate is to increase the amount from £60 to £90.

Committee Membership
Deputies:
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Paudie Coffey, Fine Gael
Terence Flanagan, Fine Gael
Noel Coonan, Fine Gael
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Fine Gael
Tony McLoughlin, Fine Gael
Patrick O’Donovan, Fine Gael
Brian Walsh, Fine Gael
Kevin Humphreys, Labour Party
Gerald Nash, Labour Party
Seán Kenny, Labour Party
Ciarán Lynch, Labour Party
Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil
Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil
Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil
Sandra McLellan, Sinn Féin
Dessie Ellis, Sinn Féin
Brian Stanley, Sinn Féin
Clare Daly, Socialist Party
Catherine Murphy, Independent
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Independent
 
Senators:
Cáit Keane, Fine Gael
Catherine Noone, Fine Gael
Labhrás Ó’Murchú, Fianna Fáil
Ned O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil
Eamon Coghlan, Independent