Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered issuing penalty points to drivers who park illegally in disabled car parking spaces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47421/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Measures are already in place to deter against such illegal parking.  A fixed charge of €80 applies to parking in a disabled person's parking bay.  The amount of the fixed charge increases by 50% to €120 if it is not paid within 28 days.  

If no payment is received within the 56 day period, a court prosecution is initiated.  Where a person does not pay the charge is subsequently convicted in court of the said offence he or she is liable to a fine not exceeding €1,000 for the first offence, a fine not exceeding €2,000 for a second or subsequent offence and in the case of a third offence or subsequent offence committed within a twelve month period, a fine not exceeding €2,000 and/or a prison sentence of up to 3 months.  The level of fine to be imposed in any instance is at the discretion of the court.  

The focus of the penalty points system is on improving driver behaviour that impacts on road safety.  The only parking offence that is included in the system is the serious offence of dangerous parking.  It is considered that it would not be appropriate to extend the system to include drivers who illegally park in a disabled person's parking bay.