Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 301: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on cars that have been adapted to create as much noise as possible; the reason the gardaí do not enforce the law when clearly there is noise disturbance being caused; his further views on tinted windows and on lights underneath cars; his further views on whether such breaches of law should be clamped down on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20398/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Garda Síochána enforces the lighting regulations and the construction, equipment and use of vehicle regulations. Prosecutions have been brought for breaches of these regulations as they pertain to smoky exhausts, no silencer fitted on a mechanically propelled vehicle, lights underneath vehicles, for failing to keep the vehicle free of inessential objects or inessential stickers and for not having a view of the road to enable the driver to drive safely.

The Department of Transport, which has responsibility for all road traffic legislation, has indicated that all new cars sold in the EU must have EU whole type approval, EU-WVTA, which requires cars to meet requirements set out in 47 separate type approval EU directives, including directives relating to the glazing on vehicles and the field of vision of drivers. Where a vehicle has been glazed in accordance with type approval standards of the relevant directive it is not open to individual member states to prohibit their sale or use.