Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 5:

In page 14, line 17, to delete “€100” and substitute the following:
“€120 per twenty four hours or part thereof and with a surcharge of €35 for release between 22.00 and 08.00”.

These amendments deal with the penalties. The Minister has already said this will be a matter for the NTA. The penalties envisaged in section 14 are €100 for a clamp release charge and €50 for a relocation charge. I did a survey in the west of Dublin at the weekend. The figures in the amendment are the present charges. If the industry is in equilibrium they could be pegged back to €100 and €50. The Dublin City Council relocation charge is €160 if one’s vehicle is towed away. I presume relocation means that one has to find out where the car is and releasing it from there is regarded as more serious than being clamped on the street where the council charges €80.
The Bill contains a default position and it is open to the NTA to decide charges. Were the Bill to enforce the €100 and €50 charges it would damage the businesses which now feel it necessary to charge €120 for 24 hours or part thereof. Keeping clamp release vehicles on a 24-hour basis costs money so the operators have a surcharge. It costs much more than €50 to retrieve the car from where it has been relocated to operate that is why I put in €150 in amendment No. 6. My concern was that is what it costs to do this and any expectation people reading the Bill might have that it could be done for €100 or €50 is not right. The council is not doing it for that price. There are typically surcharges in places such as university campuses and shopping centres if one wants to be released at night. This could lead to a situation where the system would not be enforced at all at those low prices. Presumably those fines are necessary to ensure discipline in parking in the places concerned. It costs a great deal to get a clamper to come out after midnight. That is why I have tabled these amendments.