The head of one business group says an increase in Dublin clamping fines won't make a dramatic difference to people.
Richard Guiney, CEO of DublinTown, describes clamping as a "necessary evil" for the capital.
He was speaking as fees are set to increase in the city centre for the first time in over 20 years.
The release fee for clamped vehicles in Dublin is to increase from €80 to €125 at the beginning of next month.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan says the change will bring clamping charges on public roads in line with those charged in private parking areas.
Mr Guiney told The Hard Shoulder the practice seems to work as a deterrent.
"Our view would be that clamping is probably one of those necessary evils.
"It's been around since the late '90s and it does have an effect - the illegal parking, people spending all day at a space and hogging it, and the disruptive parking that we would have had before certainly has been addressed.
"So on balance, yeah - I have to say it's probably something that works."
He says most people who come into the city use car parks over on-street spaces.
"There are about 10,000 public car parking spaces in the multi-storey car parks in the commercial core of the city, and I think we're looking at about 2,500 on-street parking spaces.
"But generally people who are in to spend time in the city and spend some money will generally go to the multi-stories."
On the increase in clamping fees, he says most people are not dissuaded from coming into the city.
"In terms of the €80, it's been at that level for quite a number of years.
"I think you're going to be upset to pay €80 or €125 - I don't think the increase is going to make that dramatic a difference.
"The clamping has instilled, I suppose, a greater discipline on drivers.
"They don't tend to illegally park to the extent that would have happened back in the '90s".
