Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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882. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will introduce free parking discs to tax abiding tradespeople for their commercial vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13566/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​Regulations for parking on public roads are set out in the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations made under section 35 of the Road Traffic Act 1994, or by bye-laws made by the local authority under section 36 of that Act, with respect to public roads in their functional area. These regulations make provisions for drivers of commercial vehicles through the use of loading bays.

The policy behind these regulations reflects the fundamental principle under road traffic law that the use of public roads is for public purposes. This means that private individuals should not be able to exercise proprietary rights of any nature over our public roads. I therefore have no plans to introduce free parking discs for commercial vehicles.