Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 May 2012
680 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the recommendations of the Oireachtas transport committee regarding reforming clamping; his plans regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21316/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra681 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he agrees with Dublin City Council’s plans to increase clamping fees; his plans to regulate the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21317/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra690 Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will rule out any increase in clamping charges in Dublin city (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22027/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 680, 681 and 690 together.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to regulate the vehicle clamping industry, I presented a discussion document to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht in December 2011 in which I outlined the principal issues to be addressed in regulating the industry, my proposals on the shape of appropriate legislation and invited its views. The Committee responded to me on 28 March in a comprehensive report which contained a number of recommendations, many of which will be reflected in the resulting legislation.
The Committee made several recommendations in relation to the level of declamping fees, to which I will have regard in framing the legislation. With regard to recent suggestions that clamping fees should be increased, the current maximum declamping fee that may be charged by public authorities for parking offences on public land was statutorily set in 1998 at £65 which, with the introduction of the euro, translated to €80. My Department has begun drafting the necessary legislation to regulate the clamping industry and I expect to be in a position to introduce a Bill in the Oireachtas later this year. In light of the forthcoming legislation, I have no proposals at present to modify the current arrangements in relation to declamping fees.
