Michael Harty (Clare, Independent)
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494. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the necessary powers will be provided to Clare County Council and each local authority to address the illegal parking of caravans and camper vans on public and private roads, rights of way and non-designated camp sites; if powers to remove and impound illegally parked caravans and to confiscate unclaimed caravans in a timely fashion, similar to unclaimed motor vehicles, will also be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22195/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Road Traffic (Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1983 (S.I. 91 of 1983) empower the Gardaí and, in certain circumstances, a road authority to remove, store and dispose of unlawfully parked vehicles.  The regulations also empower a road authority to take similar action in relation to vehicles which have been abandoned on a public road, or in a “car park” as provided for under section 101 of the Road Traffic Act 1961.

A camper van is covered by these regulations as it is a mechanically propelled vehicle.  The definition of “vehicle” is provided for in section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 and does not include caravans.  I have no proposals at this time to amend the definition of a vehicle.

Please note that road traffic legislation, including the 1983 regulations mentioned above, does not apply to private roads, rights of way or camp sites.