Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will report on the promised review of the level of fines for breaches of disabled persons' parking restrictions; the arrangements for consultation with disability groups and the timescale proposed for completion of this review. [15666/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The offence of illegally parking in a disabled persons' parking bay currently comes within the scope of the on-the-spot fines system. The amount of the on-the-spot fine applicable to this offence is €19, which is the level that applies to the majority of parking offences.

Where a person does not pay the on-the-spot fine and is subsequently convicted in court of the said offence, he or she is liable to a fine not exceeding €800 for a first offence. The maximum fine for a second or subsequent offence is €1,500 and, in the case of a third or subsequent offence committed within a 12 month period, €1,500 and-or a prison sentence of up to three months.

The Road Traffic Act 2002 provides for the replacement of the current on-the-spot fines system by a fixed charge system. The new system already applies to the offences of exceeding a speed limit and non-compliance with seat belt regulations. The original amount of the fixed charge will automatically increase by 50% where payment is not made within 28 days of the date of the original notice.

Regulations to provide for the rollout of the fixed charge system to the majority of traffic and parking offences, including the offence of parking in a disabled persons' parking bay, are currently being prepared by the Department of Transport in consultation with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda Síochána.

I indicated in the Dáil during the passage of the Road Traffic Bill before Christmas that I intend that the level of fixed charge for the offence of illegally parking in a disabled persons' parking bay will be pitched at a level that will be significantly higher than the fixed charge for other parking offences.

The operation of the fixed charge system is dependent on the development of a new computerised processing system for the Garda. I understand that it is expected to have the new system available during the summer of 2005.