Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason adequate notice was not given for the introduction of the child safety protection laws in order that parents could prepare financially for the purchase of additional restraints; the reason there are penalties for the enforcement of these laws but no grants of assistance available to parents (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31259/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The European Communities (Compulsory Use of Safety Belts and Child Restraint Systems in Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2006, which were made on 5 May 2006, transposed into Irish law EU Directive 2003/20/EC relating to the compulsory use of safety belts in motor vehicles. Member States were obliged to transpose the directive into their national laws by 8 May 2006. Directive 2003/20/EC is one of a series of important vehicle-related directives which I transposed into Irish law in the past year.

It is normal practice for regulations of this type to include penalty provisions for breaches of them. It is not proposed to provide grant assistance for the purchase of child restraint systems for motor vehicles.