Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 27th May, 2011.

I, LEO VARADKAR, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 3 and 35 (as amended by section 12(4)(b) of the Roads Act 2007 (No. 34 of 2007)) of the Road Traffic Act 1994 (No. 7 of 1994) and the National Roads and Road Traffic (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 ( S.I. No. 298 of 2002 ) (as adapted by the Transport (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 ( S.I. No. 141 of 2011 )), hereby make the following regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) Regulations 2011.

(2) The Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 to 2005 and these Regulations may be cited together as the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 to 2011.

2. These Regulations come into operation on 1st June 2011.

3. The Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 ( S.I. No. 182 of 1997 ) are amended-

(a) in article 4(1), by inserting after the definition of "disabled persons parking bay" the following:

" 'disabled person's parking permit' means a disabled person's parking permit granted under article 43;",

(b) in article 37(2), by substituting for paragraph (b) the following:

"(b) Where a vehicle is removed from a place in respect of which paragraph (a) applies it may not be parked again in that place within 1 hour of its removal during the period when the restriction is in force.", and

(c) by substituting for article 43 the following:

"Disabled Person's Parking Permit.

43. (1) Each body specified in the Third Schedule may grant to a disabled person a disabled person's parking permit.

(2) In this article, 'disabled person' means a person with a permanent condition or disability that severely restricts his or her ability to walk.

(3) A permit granted under this article shall be valid for 2 years from the date of its issue.".

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

3 May 2011.

LEO VARADKAR,

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations amend the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 to provide for amendments in relation to Disabled Persons' Permit Holders. The Regulations revise the criteria for eligibility for a Disabled Person's Parking Permit from a focus on type of medical condition to a focus on level of mobility impairment. The Regulations also remove the exemption of permit holders from the rule against parking again in a public space within one hour.