Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Jul 1991

Vol. 410 No. 6

Written Answers. - On-the-Spot Fines System.

Seán Barrett

Ceist:

103 Mr. S. Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the offences in respect of which a system of on-the-spot fines operates; the number and amount of such fines; and if he has any plans to introduce the system for other offences or to increase the amount of on-the-spot fines.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

The offences that are subject to the on-the-spot fine system and the level of such fines are dealt with in the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (Section 103) (Offences) Regulations, 1976 to 1990 and the Local Authorities (Traffic Wardens) Act, 1975 (Section 3) (Offences) Regulations, 1975 to 1990. The following are offences covered by the regulations and the amount payable:

Offences	Amount of On- the-Spot Fines Payable
Non display of current tax disc	£50
*Non display of an insurance disc	£50
*Overloading a vehicle	£50
Parking or Stopping on a Clearway	£20
Parking in a Bus Lane	£20
Other parking offences i.e. contravening a bye-law or rule made under sections 89 and 90 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961	£15

* Notices in these cases can only be issued by members of the Garda Síochána.

On-the-spot fine notices are issued by the Garda Síochána, by persons, generally known as traffic wardens, appointed by the Garda Commissioner, and by traffic wardens employed by local authorities.

Detailed information regarding the total number of on-the-spot fine notices issued and the total amounts paid is not available in my Department. I understand, however, that approximately 460,000 on-the-spot fine notices were issued in Dublin in 1990.

Improvements in the existing arrangements, including upgrading of existing computerised systems, would be necessary before the scope of the on-the-spot fine system could be extended. The question of increasing the amount of the fine is being kept under review. The current levels for parking offences were set in 1990.