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Brussels hears Donegal car plates
case
13.02.12
NORTH and West MEP
Marian Harkin has called on the authorities in the
North to enforce European free movement laws and
immediately cease the "discriminatory practice" of
clamping cars displaying Republic of Ireland trade
plates.
The Independent MEP made the call after being
contacted by a constituent, Paul Dunleavy, who runs
a car dealership in Letterkenny.
In 2009, Mr Dunleavy, who has 20 years' experience
freely transporting cars between England, Northern
Ireland and Scotland, had a vehicle - registered in
the UK but displaying Republic of Ireland trade
plates - clamped by the Driver Vehicle Authority (DVA)
in Co Derry.
He instigated legal proceedings and a judge ruled in
Mr Dunleavy's favour. |
The clamping was
subsequently thrown out of court and his fine was
returned by the DVA. However, in June last year, an
identical clamping incident occurred, and though Mr
Dunleavy's fine was again returned, he was informed
by a DVA official that he would, under no
circumstances, be permitted to drive cars in
Northern Ireland while displaying ROI trade plates.
Believing this action to be in breach of EU rules on
the free movement of goods and services, Harkin
brought Mr Dunleavy to Brussels, where he met with
European Commission officials and received a
"favourable hearing" last week. |
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MEP Marian Harkin. |
"At the end of the day,
this issue concerns the free movement of goods and
services - nothing more, nothing less," said the MEP.
"These rules apply right across the European Union,
across all borders. Hopefully, with the intervention
of the European Commission, this matter can be
satisfactorily resolved," added Ms Harkin. |
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