Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 12: To ask the Minister for Transport when he proposes to extend the powers of traffic wardens in respect of traffic enforcement. [35760/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The range of offences in the Local Authorities (Traffic Wardens) Act 1975 which may be enforced by local authority traffic wardens was expanded by statutory amendments made in 2002 and 2006. Three specified offences, one of which relates to display of an NCT disc and two which relate to motor tax disc offences, have not yet been brought into the range of the fixed charge offences that traffic wardens can enforce.

Enforcement by traffic wardens of offences under the new fixed charge system is in operation since 3 April 2006 in respect of the range of offences that were enforceable by traffic wardens under the previous on-the-spot fine system.

I will give consideration, in due course, to the declaration of the additional 3 specified offences to be fixed charge offences enforceable by local authority traffic wardens. However, the timing of doing so depends on the proper administrative and IT systems being in place in local authorities.

As the matter stands at present the three offences that are outside the remit of traffic wardens are enforceable by the Garda Síochána.