Ms Dawn Livingstone:

I have two things to say about the dispute-resolution mechanism. First, there has been criticism that we take a refundable €250 security deposit as part of an EMP. I spoke earlier about it being cheaper for people to abandon a boat or all their rubbish. There is not a dispute-resolution mechanism. We can only use that to recover direct costs from dealing with refuse or an abandoned boat. We are actively considering how we can get an independent avenue to do that.

Until these by-laws are completed we have not worked through the background to fixed-penalty notices. This is a consultation process and whether they will come to fruition is still to be agreed. I do not know. We will find out and will write back to the committee. I do not know if within the legislation it is possible to have some form of discretion. However, we will find out and revert.