Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

In effect, this is a technical amendment to subsection (9) of section 103 of the Road Traffic Act 1961. Its purpose is to clarify that the amount to be paid is as specified in the notice and that any moneys paid in respect of a fixed penalty charge can be received by the transport officers as well as by gardaí or traffic wardens and that these moneys will be disposed of into the Exchequer as directed by the Minister for Finance.

The existing text of section 103(9)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 is unclear as to the amount of a payment to be paid under a fixed charge notice. This amendment to paragraph (a) clarifies that the amount to be paid is the payment specified in the notice. The existing text of section 103(9)(b) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 provides the payment of moneys for fixed charge offences can only be made to gardaí or traffic wardens and that those moneys are disposed of in accordance with specific legislation.

As a result of earlier amendments to the Bill, it will be necessary for moneys to be payable to transport officers. The amendment to paragraph (b) will mean that moneys can be paid to persons specified in the fixed charge notice, including transport officers. The amendment also means that moneys will be disposed of into the Exchequer as the Minister for Finance directs. This will allow transport officers to pay the moneys to the Exchequer as directed.