Vol. 557 No. 4
432 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps the Garda authorities have taken to deal with the problem of so-called company cars in view of the problems these cars are causing residents in many working class communities in the Dublin area. [22562/02]
The Garda Síochána deploys a wide range of measures to combat the problems associated with so-called "company cars" in the context of tackling incidents of so-called "joyriding". These include direct police action, from detection and prevention to the use of numerous diversion and referral schemes.
The law governing the disposal of vehicles, often irresponsibly sold on to young people, is governed by the Road Traffic Acts and the Waste Management Act, 1996. This legislation comes within the remit of the Department of the Environment and Local Government. The Minister for the Environment and Local Government is of the view that the issue of company cars is best dealt with in the context of agreement with the Society for the Irish Motor Industry and other interested agencies on an acceptable vehicle recovery scheme. Such a voluntary, industry-led producer responsibility is not only in keeping with our requirements under the relevant European directive on end-of-life vehicles but appears to provide the most effective means of addressing the problem of the supply of such vehicles.
