Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

Section 19 provides a name and shame provision for persons who fail to pay their fines by the due date of payment. It is an additional measure which will encourage most persons to pay their fines. The Courts Service will be responsible for publishing the list of fine defaulters and the service will decide on the most appropriate means of so publishing. If it chooses the Internet, there will be a permanent record of the default.

The purpose of amendment No. 45 is to ensure that if the person pays the fine after the due date of payment but before his or her name and address are published, the name and address will not be published. In the case of publication on the Internet, amendment No. 46 will oblige the Courts Service to erase the reference to the default in any particular case after eight weeks or if and when the fine has been paid, whichever is the sooner. For example, as soon as the offender has failed to pay by the due date, his or her name could be published as a fine defaulter. However, a period of approximately eight weeks will elapse before the receiver is sent notification of the default by the Courts Service. During that period, more efforts will be made to have the fine paid through a series of reminders. If the offender pays within the eight week period, his or her name will at that point be removed from the list and if he or she still does not pay, the name and address will be removed in any case after eight weeks.

See this speech in context