Clamp down on private parking operators

In the UK and Wales clamping on private land by private parking operators has been banned since October 2012.

It is time to outlaw this practice here in Ireland. The Irish Government announced last year that it was to bring in laws to regulate the private car parking operators but it has somehow put it on the back burner. There is no legislation governing this industry in Ireland and the legal status of the industry is unclear.

While it is important to remove cars parked in areas where they are causing a danger to motorists and pedestrians, it is questionable if it is legal to clamp cars in private parking areas. How can it be possible for a company to take possession of your property and then force you to pay a fine for its return without a court order or a right to appeal the fine without first having to pay up? This is extortion.!