12-08-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Independent
Mayo councillor makes no apology for motion seeking to ban clamping in Castlebar
His comments follow a Castlebar Municipal District vote to ban clamping in the town. Speaking on Midwest Radio, IPA director Keith Gavin called on councillors to lobby local TDs for alternative enforcement methods, noting that council by-laws apply only to public streets and roads.
Mr Gavin explained that the IPA has long campaigned for access to the National Vehicle Driver File (NVDF), which would allow fines issued by private parking companies to be legally enforced. Currently, only certain operators such as private toll companies have access, with the Department of Transport citing data protection concerns
He stressed that clamping is not the IPA's preferred method of enforcement, but remains the only viable option on private property, as parking officers there cannot issue enforceable fines without NVDF access.
Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, who proposed the motion to outlaw clamping in Castlebar, said his priority was to protect constituents rather than address industry concerns.
He cited numerous complaints from constituents, many involving the same privately owned car park near a pharmacy and Mayo University Hospital, where people were clamped under what he described as unreasonable circumstances.
'It's not our job to sort out the industry for them, it's our job to look after our constituents that vote for us and elect us,' he told the Irish Independent, 'A motion has been passed by the members directing officials to prepare a by-law and it will go out to consultation.'
Until the by-law is drafted and goes out for public consultation, Cllr Kilcoyne said he won't know exactly what is in it but stated that the public are very clear in their view that what is happening here is not acceptable.
One case he highlighted involved a woman who went to collect a prescription for her child from the pharmacy after just having seen a doctor. When she went to pay for a ticket but the machine was out of order, she took a photo of the message on the machine.
'I have a copy of the photo' said Cllr Kilcoyne, 'The woman decided to run into the pharmacy to collect her prescription, came out, there's a clamp on the car, and the guy was standing around the corner laughing. That's just not acceptable.'
He said this case was one of several in which motorists were clamped within minutes, often while carrying out urgent or essential tasks, with no allowance made for faulty ticket machines or genuine emergencies.
'These guys are merciless, they clearly don't realise that many people are in a situation where if they get clamped that is half their week's income. People on fixed incomes, pensioners, people with disabilities or people on job seekers. There is no mercy shown, no consideration of the facts.'
'I can't think of anything that's more lucrative than charging €150 for somebody who runs in to get a prescription for their child.'
