Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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280. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department intends on strengthening the rules and regulations around illegal parking in disabled parking spaces during the lifetime of this Government; the measures being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37680/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, I wish to advise that there are already robust regulations in place for the use of public disabled parking bays.

Regulation 44 of the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 (SI 182/1997), as amended, sets out the statutory requirement to display a valid disabled parking permit when parking in a designated disabled bay. A driver who parks in such a bay without a permit risks incurring a penalty of €150.

Under the Road Traffic (Parking in Disabled Person’s Parking Bay) Regulations 2022 (SI 427/2022), it is an offence for anyone who is not the holder of a disabled parking permit to use a permit for their own convenience, rather than for the direct benefit of the permit holder. The penalty for this offence is currently set at €200, which is among the highest of all fixed charges for traffic and parking offences.

Under section 11 of the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023, which came into effect in March of this year, it is a criminal offence to provide false or misleading information when applying for or renewing a disabled parking permit. Individuals found guilty of fraudulent applications can face a fine of up to €2,500 and/or imprisonment for up to 6 months.

Enforcement of these regulations is a matter for An Garda Síochána and local authority traffic wardens.

I have no plans to introduce further measures at this time.