I am most grateful that the Chair has afforded me the opportunity to raise this very serious matter regarding which there is wide concern. This is in relation to illegal car park attendants, known as the cap men, who operate on the streets in Dublin each evening, at weekends and on days when there are sporting events in Dublin. These men direct motorists to park their cars illegally on double yellow lines and on footpaths, in fact in any part of the street where there is room to park a motor vehicle, irrespective of what traffic hazard it is causing. These individuals have no authorisation from any Government Department, including the Department of Justice, Dublin Corporation or the Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána are very much aware of this operation where these men direct motorists to park and take money from them, giving the impression that they are operating in a legal manner.
I have raised this issue over the past ten years with all the Garda Commissioners but I got a very negative response.
I have also raised it with the roads and traffic committee, Dublin Corporation, and I recall one superintendent in charge of the traffic division indicating that these men were part and parcel of the culture of Dublin. However, I am very concerned at what I heard on the Marian Finucane programme, on Tuesday, 26 November. Several people contacted the programme to complain about the operation of these individuals who are intimidating motorists for money. One women stated that when she came into Dublin to do her shopping, she parked her car and on returning later that evening one of these individuals prevented her from getting into her car. She discovered that she had no money to give him. She went to a shop to get change and gave him 40 pence but he still would not allow her into her car. She then had to go back to the shop again and ask the man whom she knew to escort her to the car in order to prevent this individual from intimidating her. There were several complaints of this nature on the programme.
On her way home she called to the local garda station, which covered the area where the individual was operating. She got a very negative response from the Garda who informed her that it would be almost a waste of their time trying to apprehend the individual in view of the fact that if he was summoned and taken to court he would be fined only £4 and would be operating the following day on the streets.
It is most important that legislation is introduced to clear the streets of Dublin of this nuisance. If a person goes on the public streets to collect money without an authorisation from the Garda, he or she will be prosecuted. The same applies to any charitable organisation. I cannot understand why the Garda will not prosecute these individuals for collecting money publicly on the streets in front of gardaí.
I call on the Minister to take up this matter by introducing the necessary legislation and by instructing the Garda to deal with the question of the collection of money without any authorisation.
