Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 19 Nov 1991

Vol. 413 No. 1

Written Answers. - Parking Regulations.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

112 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline, under the existing parking controls in Dublin City, the number of cars which have been towed away in (1) 1988, (2) 1989, (3) 1990 and (4) up to October, 1991 due to illegal parking; if he will further outline (a) the tow away fines which were imposed and collected, (b) the cost of providing the tow-away service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Burke)

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the details requested are as follows:

Year	Number of cars towed away	Amount Collected in toaway charges
(1)	(2)	(3)
1988	1,340	£29,522
1989	2,507	£52,756
1990	6,187	£367,891
1991	4,753	£383,040
(to 30/9/91)

The figures shown in column (3) above do not include sums collected in respect of fines on the spot or other fines that may have been imposed in these cases. The sums collected in respect of such fines would have been quite considerable but it is not possible to extract the relevant details in respect of cars which were towed away from the available records.

In the current year, the cost of providing the tow away service up to 30 September 1991, is estimated at £189,000. Additionally, a two-car tow truck was acquired in February 1991, at a cost of £46,000. Also, a new car pound (capacity 300+ cars) was taken over and fitted out at the junction of Infirmary Road and Parkgate Street. The site clearance and fitting out costs in this regard amounted to £64,000. This was a once off item of expenditure and is not included in the £189,000 figure given above.