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Updated: 14.24
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL made €4.24 million in parking fines last year.
The council handed out 56,601 “parking enforcements” in 2014 – this refers to “vehicle immobilisation” , or clamping to you and me.
Parking tickets in Dublin city are issued by An Garda Siochána, not the council.
The figures, which were released under the Freedom of Information Act, break down the streets on which the most parking violation tickets are give out.
Top of the list is Merrion Square West (733), followed by Mespil Road (720);and Ormond Quay Upper (656).
The de-clamp fee is €80 so the income earned for the top three streets was €58,649, €57,600 and €52,480 respectively.
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said clamping plays “an important role in improving traffic mobility in the city and helped create a more attractive urban environment for locals, businesses and visitors”.
They added that the local authority facilitates an independent appeals process for cases “where people feel they have been clamped unfairly or in error”.
Other cities
Cork City Council generated €1,227,480 in parking fines in 2014. The top three income-making streets were South Mall (€111,180, 2,490 fines), Saint Patrick’s Street (€45,720, 1,071 fines), and Morrison’s Quay (€28,960, 649 fines).
A spokesperson from Cork City Council said its parking enforcement priorities are to “ensure public safety by preventing or reducing dangerous parking” and “ensure traffic congestion is minimised by preventing or reducing obstructive parking”, as well as facilitating commercial activity for buses and taxis, and ensuring turnover of spaces for members of the public.
Galway City Council collected €538,066 in parking fines last year. The top three streets were Eglinton Street, which collected 1,458 tickets and generated €55,620 in fines; Merchants Road, which generated €31,360 via 778 tickets; and Williamsgate Street, which collected 508 tickets generating €20,288.
A spokesperson for Galway City Council pointed out that cars which are illegally parked on land owned by the local authority are not clamped – this only happens on private land.
Kilkenny City Council made €187,860 in parking fines in 2014. The top three streets in terms of money generation were: Bateman Quay (€18,540); Castle Road (€14,420); and Patrick Street (€11,210).
Limerick Council generated €554,504 in parking fines in 2014. O’Connell Street made €30,130; Henry Street generated €28,730; and Roches Street collected €21,180 in fines.
A spokesperson for Limerick City and County Council said the area has the cheapest city on-street parking in Ireland, at €1 per hour.
Our enforcement policy ensures that the finite number of street parking spaces available are shared and not monopolised and that those who pay do not have to subsidise those who won’t pay.
“The strategy is to manage on-street parking as a ‘short stay’ street destination and promote parking for periods longer than 2 hours in off-street car parks. The goal is to accommodate on-street demand as efficiently as possible by sharing the limited number of spaces available amongst shoppers, visitors and residents.”
Altogether, local authorities across the country collected more than €88 million from parking fines in 2014.
Hat tip to Barry Creed.
Originally published: 6am
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That’s a lot of money generated by people forgetting to put their hazards on when they park.
The council in Kilkenny have destroyed the town centre by trying to get as many parking fines as they can outta people. As a result people now try to avoid the town centre and imo it has put the town back ten years due to council greed
There’s 1100 spaces in McDonagh Junction, 420 in dunnes, 500 in Market Cross and 800 in the Ormonde. Those 4 car parks are within 10 minutes walk of each other and all bar McDonagh are in the city centre. No excuse for illegal parking in KK.
Hey Ron this is no place for logic and common sense…..getta outa here
Ye right Ron. You seem to know a lot. Maybe a council man eh ????
I’m an Anchorman.
In this day and age there should be no need for parking in towns
That escalated quickly.
You make it and they’ll take it. It’s how we roll.
Get yourself to Roscommon Town, it is free parking everywhere. It works for me.
Lamby, same thing happening in Mallow, Cork. Parking charges and fines are killing the town centre because people can only park for free at the supermarkets outside the perimeter. Short term thinking in a nutshell
Sister got clamped in a disabled parking space. On returning to her ‘badged disabled vehicle’ with her disabled daughter she had to pay the fine in order to get the clamp removed. So far she has been waiting 3 weeks for a refund. Dublin City Traffic Cops have allot to answer for, she needs the money back.
Brilliant Ron.
Only parking ticket I ever got was on a Sunday in Kilkenny in 1999. Boycotted the place for a decade after that.
To park outside Holles Street or around Merrion Square is €2.90 per hour. Far too much!
‘The baby’s coming!’
‘Sorry love. Could you just wait a bit? I’ve got to nip out and put more money in the metre.’
But then again isn’t Holles Street Private so those going there can well afford it.
No its not
Holles Street isn’t private…
Public hospital. No airs and graces here!
Hospital parking is always obscenely expensive …. and managed by an outside vendor rather than going directly to the hospital
Rachel,
As I’m sure you’re aware there’s loft
TD of other areas in dublin City centre in fact most of thm where it’s 2.90/hr. No wonder people shopping go to Blanch, Liffey, Adwords etc.
You make a good point about parking around Holles though. But it’s pretty much the same around Rotunda and Coombe places where there is a definite need for short term parking . Have the areas controlled by CCTV to make sure that pregnant women are getting out of the car and after say half hour tell the driver he/she has to move.
Use a tannoy system telling people misusing the system that the vehicle is on CCTV and will be clamped and towed ASAP de lamp charge 120.00, charge for de lamp after being towed 200.00 that’ll stop misuse.
Doesn’t need a lot of spaces say 10 at each of the locations.
You can pay your parking by text there. Don’t even need to leave the hospital.
Euro car park looks after blanchardstown hospital, I was there the other day and there is always one van waiting to pounce for been a couple of mins out of time .
Oh Christopher want some ketchup with that chip on your shoulder?
Cork CC clampers must be on a commission with that number of tickets handed out!
They are. You can’t get clamped in cork city. Just a €40 fine. Depending on where you park it might be cheaper to take the ticket every now and again than actually pay for parking. Especially if you know the days the warden is most likely to come around.
They walk a loop of South Mall, Father Matthew Quay and Morrison’s Quay looking for cars that have overstayed by 5 minutes.
It’s a great way of raising revenue.
They then completely overlook cars that are parked on double-yellows or on footpaths elsewhere in the city because even though those are worse for drivers and pedestrians, they can’t raise as much money.
Simple solution…park legally and return to your car before your time expires..works every time.
Can’t wait for a barrage of negative comments from people who are aggrieved at being punished for breaking the law.
Yes good man put parking and breaking the law together that’s nice and sensible … I’m sure enda will send you a blue Peter badge
But, they’re parking LAWS. There’s a very simple way to avoid getting fined.
Your really not going to be worth the effort..
After reading your comments on this topic I’d be fairly certain your one of the “I’ll just pop the hazards on and leave my car wherever the fu(k I like people” just park in a parking space. It’s really not that hard.
Your wrong there … I always park really well…. never do I go anywhere near crappy parking, I absolutely despise people who abuse disabled or baby spots … If you read my comments you would know my problem is making a big deal out of such a petty thing and it being a total cash cow.
Contro. I suppose if your ticket was 5 minutes over limit you would go looking for traffic warden and demand a parking fine?
Did the big bad traffic warden give Shawn a parking ticket? You poor poor baby.
Maurice. No. The US is a bit far for Dublin traffic wardens to operate don’t you think :)
Personally I’ve no sympathy for anyone parking illegally unless In an emergency situation.
Pontious
Quite right I worked as a courier for a while and many a time had little choice but flashers on and double park, I would not hang around or take my time as I wanted to drop and get onto the next delivery and be available for new job/work. I’m sure this applies to all delivery drivers.
Stephen with the exception of yourself or family member being a few minutes past the ticket expired time. Isn’t that a non emergency situation and illegal?
Agreed if you park without paying then there should be a punishment. I know people who park on the same street without paying all year. They get away with about 3-5 clamps a year. Great savings to be made there. One thing that interests me though is how some areas in Dublin get favour. Cars fully mount the pavement on Dorset St and park for hours at length. Someone regularly puts a warning on their windows (council headed) telling them not to do it again but no fines or clamps are ever issued. The whole country stinks of brown envelopism no matter what area/topic it’s in.
Personally I find people who “have no sympathy for anyone that breaks the law” very scary. We are talking about parking here not exactly a crime is it, but then I suppose people like you think it is. God help us all
Parking illegally is a crime, that is all.
Cash strapped councils me a…
You know the law. You chose to break it. You face the consequences. Why should anyone be sympathetic? It’s pretty easy not to park illegally.
The law governing parking ?? Really do tell
@ Jonathan – I think you’ll find it under the relevant counties traffic and parking bye-laws as part of Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 act….
So now your saying they are by-laws and regulations ?
Does the fact that they’re bye-laws make them any less legally enforceable? What about bye-laws governing littering or animal control? Have you any issue with following those bye-laws or should we just be allowed dump our rubbish where we like and allow dangerous dogs to roam free without penalty?
Yes Aaron my very point is regulations and legislation are far less enforceable, they should be seen for what they are suggestions as to how we would like society to work not cast iron 10 commandment pillars. Your dog shiting or your car parked should not be a 4 million revenue stream for the government.
Also just for your own education go read the legislation you quoted earlier there are some interesting rules in there that are a real safety measure that are not enforced at all. Not parking within 15 meters the traffic side of a pedestrian crossing is great idea for clear view and safety but funny that one is ignored.
I’m always amazed that most people simply accept clamping as being so matter of fact, and are so unable to contemplate questioning morrally, irresponsible government. A crime involves a victim, and parking in a parking spot correctly is not a crime. It is the equivalent to daylight robbery.
The government of Ireland has destroyed what this country was all about. Ireland has lost its appeal and there’s a few to blame.
Yeah I remember when people would come from all over the world to park illegally in our town and villages. It certainly doesn’t have the same appeal since the government and local councils started fining people for it.
Aaron …Ireland has become a place where petty bs is let flourish if it can be justified by …”well that’s the rules”. The government looks at every situation and figures out how to get the most revenue out of it, not the smartest people come up with schemes in little committee meetings and they are green lighted without much taught. The fact that so many people here actually belive parking violations are laws is crazy funny …. then the fact that we would all agree that a fitting punishment for stopping a car where you went mentioned to Is a 80euro to release fee says a lot really
I wasn’t aware Ireland was the only place to clamp cars. I was under the impression, deluded obviously, that there were such measures nearly everywhere. Thanks Jonathan, for pointing out that some little committee in D2 is responsible for this blight on our cityscape.
Always carry a battery operated grinder in the boot, works every time
I’m sure it has. You’re some hero.
Dressed like that you’re some knob
You’re a charming fellow.
Consaw = no clamp …. Simples
The clamping guys have 100,000 euros worth of truck for clamping cars so somebody is minting it.
Just cut the clamp off. You will not be in any trouble unless the gardai see you doing it. Buy yourself a good bolt cutter for 20 to 30 Euro and save a fortune
I’d rather just stick the few bob in meter than risk a conviction for going equipped or whatever the correct term in law is. Understand completely why people do it though…..
Is it not criminal damage to cut a council clamp though? heard you’ll get away with cutting a none council clamp alright and just hand the thing in at a garda station all the same…could be pub talk though..
There are clampers around our estate and there are too few spaces. A neighbour has 2 vehicles so often has to park ‘illegally’. His solution was to buy his own clamps! Can’t clamp a car that’s already clamped!
They got me in Merrion square. 5 mins late. the b*st?rds ha..only doing there jobs but :-)
5 min…. sure who do ya think you are swanning about not a care in the world and your vehicle left over your extortionately priced metered time …. Some boyo
Roscommon Town, free street parking :D
But its still Roscommon …..
Some people are born to be minions obeying and complying and they desperately want to keep the rest of us in line, hence the holier than thou “serves them righter” all loving the parking bye laws ? Sad
I’d be all for it if they were proactively looking for parking infringements ( double yellow lines, loading bays thus causing trucks to double park therefore chaos, obstructive parking aka stupid parking or my own pet hate disabled parking when not entitled ) sadly the wardens and clampers don’t really in my experience and opinion contribute to a progressive parking plan… Rather they shoot fish in a barrel! An application of common sense from time to time would be more than welcome by the public! But I believe they all know the soft touches as in the regular places that they can show a return of work for …
Exactly my thoughts too – Utter bull. 99% of all clamping is on people parked correctly in parking spaces. And it’s not as if we have a decent alternative with our ridiculously poor and overpriced public transport system.
I live in one of those 3 areas and if there were no clamping I wouldn t have where to park in front of my own house. I pay for a parking space to the council and sometimes I can t get one because people think they can get away by not paying.
Imagine, an inanimate piece of filthy, pothole laden tar on the side a road has the potential to earn a third of the minium wage per hour, for simply being there.
The figures above only represent fines, I wonder what the council’s total take for parking is?
It really is money for old rope!
So on Mespil Road and Merrion Square West there has been just two clampings a day on average?
Fishy smell here, where does it come from?
One for the council, five for the side business.
It’s all cash transactions. Non traceable folding stuff.
You can only pay a clamp fine with a card
I put super glue into the locks of the clamps
In the top 3 locations, it only adds up to average 6 clamps a day.
What’s all the fuss about?
I always found clamping counterintuitive. They don’t want your car there, but they stop you driving it away.
Don’t mind paying for parking but some times there only one ticket machine on the street and it’s miles away i think thy do this on purpose just to get the me lol
Miles????? Alrighty then
Real criminals wear shirts & ties!
A spokesperson for Dublin council says “it helps improve traffic mobility in the city”!!! How in the name of Jaysus does clamping a car, which then may be stuck there for days or more while the owner pays the fine add to traffic mobility ?? Some numpties in Dubkin council. It’s a money making racket pure and simple.
And who’s pockets is this money lining??
You might be on to something there Christine. You better get Sherlock Holmes on the case.
In Sligo the home of Dubliner WB Yeats if you shop on Sundays the parking warden will be looking for you.
It’s high time the Irish people take back the running of this country. It’s setup in a way as the many pay for the few. One day soon
Disgusting the way these clampers go about,
Keeping Dublin city moving and yet the parking around merrion square is constantly being hit,
What congestion is this causing,
Would love to see this being scrapped,
An Garda siochana should set up there own traffic people put on the beat and it would bring in revenue also.
have your say