Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

The Minister of State's proposal is to increase the fine from £800 to €5,000 while Deputy O'Dowd's amendment would increase it to €25,000. Given inflationary costs and the increases in property values, the potential gain of someone who breaks the law or who does not comply with it is substantial. I understand these would be the maximum fines the court could impose so there would be discretion for judges to take account of the circumstances of the breach. If it was done wilfully, the maximum could be applied but if it was done accidentally, it would be different.

I invite the Minister of State to accept Deputy O'Dowd's amendments or to go even further because they are fairly modest. The amount involved is probably just a single morning's takings in the Fianna Fáil tent at the Galway Races.

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