Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Reilly. I undertake to explore the matter further also. It is certainly not my intention to give company directors additional protections. We want to ensure the law is robust and not open to challenge. That is why the principle of proportionality, as requested under the EU directive, is being inserted. That is our only rationale for including it. The courts take account of personal circumstances when issuing fines for other offences so it is not fair to say this is not the case in the judicial system. Circumstances are accounted for when fines are issued.