Editing Wheel clamp (section)

===Ireland===
[[File:Clamped car, Ireland.jpg|thumb|Clamped car ([[Volkswagen Polo Mk4]]) in Ireland, with note on driver's side window warning the owner not to attempt to drive away.]]
In the Republic of Ireland, clamping in public places is legal under a 1988 amendment to the Road Traffic Act 1961.<ref name="citizensinformation">{{cite web|url=http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/traffic_and_parking/parking_fines_and_vehicle_clamping.html|title=Parking fines and vehicle clamping|date=20 April 2016|work=Citizens Information|publisher=Citizens Information Board|access-date=6 April 2017|location=Ireland}}</ref><ref name="act1961s101b">{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.lawreform.ie/_fileupload/Restatement/First%20Programme%20of%20Restatement/EN_ACT_1961_0024.PDF#page=234 |title=Road Traffic Act 1961|date= 2013 |work=Revised statutes |publisher=Law Reform Commission |pages=206–208 |chapter=§101B: Immobilisation, removal etc. of unlawfully parked vehicles|access-date=6 April 2017|location=Ireland}}</ref> Clamping in private car parks is widespread but not regulated by statute, and the legality of the practice is unclear.<ref name="citizensinformation"/><ref name="TRJ2012013100005"/> The breaches for which an "immobilisation device" may be fitted under the 1961 act are those specified in sections 35, 36, and 36A of the Road Traffic Act 1994 as amended (respectively "Regulations for general control of traffic and pedestrians", "Parking of vehicles in parking places on public roads", and "Bye-laws for restriction on parking – specified events"<ref name="act1994part6">{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.lawreform.ie/_fileupload/RevisedActs/WithAnnotations/EN_ACT_1994_0007.PDF#page=36 |title=Road Traffic Act 1994 |date= 2016 |work=Revised statutes|publisher=Law Reform Commission|pages=28–51 |chapter=Part VI; Regulation of Traffic|access-date=6 April 2017|location=Ireland}}</ref>).<ref name="act1961s101b"/> Regulations under the 1994 act are made by [[statutory instrument]] by the minister responsible for transport (currently the [[Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport]]).<ref name="act1994part6"/> [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|Local authorities]] have delegated the clamping activity to private companies.<ref name="citizensinformation"/> This contrasts with traffic wardens, who are employees of the authority.

Existing statutory provisions are due to be replaced by the Vehicle Clamping Act 2015, passed as part of the [[Government of the 31st Dáil|Fine Gael–Labour coalition]]'s 2011 programme for government.<ref name="citizensinformation"/><ref name="vca2015">{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2015/act/13/enacted/en/html|title=Vehicle Clamping Act 2015|access-date=6 April 2017}}; {{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/bills28/bills/2014/5114/document1.htm|title=Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014 [Seanad]|work=Bills|publisher=Oireachtas|access-date=6 April 2017}}</ref><ref name="kildarestreet20150122">{{cite web|url=https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2015-01-22a.351|title=Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Second Stage|date=22 January 2015|work=Dáil debates|publisher=KildareStreet.com|access-date=6 April 2017}}</ref> The 2015 act regulates private as well as public clamping.<ref name="vca2015"/><ref name="citizensinformation"/><ref name="kildarestreet20150122"/><ref name="TRJ2012013100005">{{cite web|url=http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/committeetakes/TRJ2012013100005 |title=Regulation of Vehicle Clamping Industry: Discussion |author=Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht|date=31 January 2012|work=Debates|publisher=Oireachtas|access-date=6 April 2017}}</ref> It also seeks to improve and standardise the level of fines and the appeals process, which have been the focus of public dissatisfaction.<ref name="kildarestreet20150122"/>