Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Barrett has pointed to an area in which this Bill can be improved. I will revert on Report Stage with a perhaps differently worded amendment to achieve a similar objective. If we are saying that someone who is clamped has rights in terms of unfair costs imposed on them, then the argument also goes the other way. This amendment recognises that fact, in that, if a process takes place and the appeals officer finds in favour of the person who is clamping, costs may also have been incurred by that person. This matter should be considered and relates to a point I made when responding to Senator Barrett's earlier contribution. His amendments are seeking to introduce a better degree of symmetry to the Bill between the three forces to which I referred, those being, the clamper, the clampee and the individuals in the environment where the potentially illegal parking takes place. When we incorporate the thinking behind the Senator's proposal in the Bill, it will improve the Bill's operation. While I cannot accept the amendment now, I accept the Senator's argument. With his support, I propose to revert with a further amendment on Report Stage to take on board the point that he has successfully made.