Cian O'Callaghan
Ceist:73. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the plans in place to address illegal parking on footpaths and walkways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43910/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 16 December 2020
Ceisteanna (73)
Freagraí scríofa
Parking on a footpath or walkway is illegal under the current Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking Regulations), as amended, and carries 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 the previous Minister, 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.
For clarification, enforcement of illegal parking is a matter for the Garda Síochána and for individual local authorities.
While the Department is open to the possibility of introducing similar increases for other parking offences such as that of parking on the footpath, 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.