Unease expressed by association representing rank and file Gardaí with vehicle clamping in Dublin.
Dublin Corporation introduced clamping two months ago, and in that time over two and a half thousand illegally parked cars have been clamped in the city, an average of forty per day. Surprisingly, those who enforce traffic clamping have come under attack from those whose duty it is to uphold the law.
President of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) John Healy is critical of the way in which Dublin Corporation has implemented immobilization to parked vehicles.
No excuse will be entertained, or no reasonable fact will be entertained.
Paul Moloney of Dublin Corporation disagrees and says exceptional situations do arise and are dealt with sensitively.
We do show great discretion in medical emergency cases.
The similarity of clampers' uniforms to that of Gardaí is also confusing to the public, claim the GRA. Dublin Corporation says that it engaged with the Gardaí during their plans to develop clamping in the city.
We’ve agreed all aspects of this operation, including uniform, with them.
The GRA are concerned that car clamping is the start of the civilianization of policing in Ireland, and want,
Only those functions which do not involve dealing with the public on a such a basis are civilianised.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 20 October 1998. The reporter is Aoife Kavanagh.
