Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 October 2020
84. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport his plans to increase fixed charge penalty notice fines for illegal parking from €40 to €100; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29286/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra95. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Transport his plans to address the dangers to pedestrians and cyclists caused by dangerous parking; his plans to use his power under SI 135 of 2006 to increase the fixed charge penalty notice for illegal parking from €40 to €100; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29369/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 95 together.
Parking on a footpath and parking in a designated cycle lane are both illegal under the current Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking Regulations), as amended, and carry a fixed charge of €40, rising to €60 if not paid within 28 days.
Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 grants powers to the Minister for Transport to make regulations prescribing different amounts for fixed charge notice offences. The Department keeps these charges under constant review and can intervene to impose increases where it is deemed appropriate.
Most recently, for example, in March 2018 my predecessor, Mr. Shane Ross, increased the fixed charge for the offence of parking in a disabled bay from €80 to €150 in response to evidence presented by An Garda Síochána and by disability representative groups of a sharp rise in non-compliance.
While my Department is open to the possibility of introducing similar increases for other parking offences, such changes will require engagement both with An Garda Síochána and with the local authorities so as to ensure fairness and proportionality and to take into account issues of implementation and enforcement.
