Cork city councillor slams illegal parking: ‘It hurts a lot of people'

Fines issued to drivers in Cork for parking or stopping in a disabled parking bay have dropped by about 40% since 2023, it has emerged, but a city councillor claims this reduction is not due to improved driver behaviour, but to a lack of resources.

There have been 1,211 fines for parking or stopping in a disabled parking bay in Cork since 2023 — 544 in 2023, 473 in 2024, and 194 in 2025 so far, according to data provided by justice minister Jim O’Callaghan and gardaí.

In 2023, 446 fixed charge notices (FCNs) were issued for parking or stopping in a disabled parking bay in Cork city and 98 in Cork county. In 2024, these reduced to 383 in the city and 90 in the county. Figures for 2025 show 164 and 30 FCNs have been issued in the city and county, respectively.

The figures were provided on July 29, meaning 23 FCNs were issued per month on average in the city and four in the county, compared to 37 and eight per month in 2023. The figures suggest there will be 281 FCNs issued in the city and 51 in the county in total in 2025.

The Labour Party’s John Maher said: 

“The reduction is not because drivers are becoming more responsible.”

Mr Maher continued: “As a sales rep who covers Munster, I drive in every town, in every village, in every city in Munster, and I can see the behaviours continuing. It’s resources.”

He said both gardaí and council have a role to play: “As a council, we operate on a Monday to Friday, 9-5 basis, in terms of wardens. That’s something the Labour grouping will be looking at in the upcoming budget, but until then it’s important that gardaí pick up the slack. There is an element of thinking traffic enforcement is a local authority job, but also they need to be resourced properly.”

He added that camera enforcement would be a great way to free up resources, while not allowing drivers to get away with illegal parking.

He described MacCurtain St as the “best-in-class example” that a lack of ticketing means illegal parking continues: 

“The bus stop on the street is the best free parking in town on the weekend — anywhere people can park a car, they’ll put it there. So I don’t think the reduction in fines is due to drivers being more aware, and I don’t think you need to be in City Hall to know that.”

Illegal parking has a huge impact, he said: “Parking in a disabled bay, or at a bus stop or on a double yellow line, that’s antisocial behaviour. It’s stopping someone with mobility issues from being able to get to work, or people stuck on a bus for getting to an exam. It’s a quiet antisocial behaviour, it doesn’t shout at you or throw a dig, but it hurts a lot of people across the city. It’s hurting businesses and individuals who need these disabled spaces.”

A spokesperson for Cork County Council told The Echo: “Cork County Council is committed to parking enforcement of disabled bays and has a good track record of ensuring proper use in accordance with national legislation and guidelines.”

The Echo also contacted Cork City Council and An Garda Síochána for comment.