Joe Behan (Wicklow, Independent)
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Question 367: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the possibility that used cars may from time to time be registered in the names and addresses of unwitting third parties who later receive notices of fixed penalty fines for illegal parking, illegal dumping and failure to pay road tolls; if he plans to present proposals to address this growing problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12696/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations, 1992 sets out the provisions that must be complied with when ownership of a motor vehicle changes. Some 750,000 notices of change of vehicle ownership are received annually in my Department and details of new owners are recorded on the National Vehicle and Driver File. As part of the recording process a number of administrative procedures are in place to ensure that ownership details are correctly recorded.

Given the annual transaction volumes relatively few instances of incorrect ownership details are brought to attention. The evidence to date doesn't suggest that deliberate notification of incorrect owner details is a growing problem. Once matters of this nature are brought to attention my Department takes action to remedy the situation and where appropriate An Garda Síochána are informed.