asked the Minister for Justice whether he is aware that on occasions motorists with properly taxed cars are fined for parking a few feet away from the properly parked cars in respect of which no tax has been paid; and if it is his Department's policy to give the task of dealing with parking offences priority over the task of dealing with motorists who have not taxed their cars.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Motoring Offences.
30.
I assume that the Deputy is referring to Dublin, where the fine-on-the-spot system is operated mainly by wardens employed by the Dublin Corporation, whose functions are confined to those offences to which section 108 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, has been declared to apply by regulations made by the Minister for Local Government. The offences relate to illegal stopping and parking only.
Is the Minister not aware of the frustration which has been expressed by a number of people who, having parked their cars, properly taxed, even though some get it extremely difficult to find the money, find themselves with a parking fine for £2 on the windscreen while highpowered cars, with no tax paid, can be parked without any liability, apparently, to a fine and is the Minister aware that this is a practice even around this House? It is a very common one. Could he not think of some way in which this matter could be dealt with?
I can well understand that people would be annoyed by that situation. I think the way to solve it would be extending the powers of traffic wardens. This is a matter for the Minister for Local Government and I understand he has it under consideration at the moment.
Would the Minister be able to hazard a guess at the number of expensive cars which are not taxed because of the fact that their owners have not got them insured? Is he aware that this also is a growing practice here, particularly in the case of expensive cars around the city where the insurance rate is very high because of the number of accidents in which these car owners have been involved?
I am not aware that that is so.
Would he have a guess as to whether or not it is correct?
I hope it is not correct.