I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 129 together.
Dublin City Council have written to my Department on parking matters on a number of occasions over the past five years. However, I am not aware of a specific request to make parking regulations in general more flexible. Under the Road Traffic Act, 1994 responsibility for parking matters is vested in local authorities in respect of public roads in their charge. Section 36 provides road authorities with extensive bye-law making powers with discretion afforded to authorities regarding the location and specification of parking places, level of fee and specification of maximum parking periods within their functional area.
Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations made under Section 35 of the 1994 Act also contain enabling discretionary powers for local authorities to restrict parking of specified vehicles in specified areas or places within a nationally applying framework. I have no proposals to amend the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations in this way.