Drogheda port company parking fine...legal?

jaybird

I recieved a ticket on my windscreen recently from the Drogheda port company, when car was on the quays in Drogheda. The info on the ticket is the make of the car, the reg and the time of the alleged offence.

There is a notice on the ticket that says "Unless you pay the penalty of €60 within 21 days you will be liable to summary conviction in a court of law"
My question is this; given that the Drogheda Port Co are presumably a private company and the ticket was not issued by the local authority or the gardai, do they have any means or right under law to obtain the details of the registered owner? Can they contact vehicle licensing/ gardai and access those details? Can any private company who own or operate a car park or parking zone?

Thank you

dermot_sheehan

Dorgheda Port Company is a Harbour authority under the harbours act 1996 and can prosecute you for violating their bye-laws (including illegal parking).

Carawaystick

I'd imagine the port co don't have any right to access the VLC info and even if they did, they'd only get the name of the registered owner and I doubt there's any compulsion to name the driver for this offence. so the case'd be weak.

I'd imagine that while the port co are a private company, the shareholder is a minister of the govt.

a quick call to the data commissioners might confirm if the port co can access the info.
A lawyer can give you legal advice though costing more than the sixty quid or so...

I don't know where the byelaws would be found, maybe iris oifigil?

dermot_sheehan

Section 8 of the Data Protection Act exempts from its requirements data required for law enforcement purposes and enforcement of a harbour authority;s bye law is a law enforcement purpose.

The bye laws may criminalise the owner of a vehicle for allowing it to be illegally parker.