Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge what the Deputy said. If he has any information that might be helpful, he should remain in contact the appropriate authorities. I am not aware of any instances of imprisonment solely as a result of being a conviction following the issuing of a summons where a fixed-charge notice should have been issued instead. In 96% of the 14,700 cases identified, the persons concerned had committed other offences in respect of which issuing a summons was justified. I am aware, however, of recent media reports on individual cases and acknowledge what the Deputy has said in that regard. I am not going to comment on an individual case that was the subject of media attention, but I can reiterate that any case of which I have been made aware involved other offences which were correctly punished by way of the issuing of a summons. Therefore, the penalties imposed may well have been imposed. There may be individual cases - again, I acknowledge what the Deputy said - where people received more severe punishments solely as a result of not being afforded the opportunity to pay a fixed charge. I believe, however, that such cases comprise a very small minority. As I said, no such cases have been brought to my attention. I will be happy, however, to communicate further with the Deputy. If he has information he feels backs up what he says, he has an appropriate avenue available to him, which I trust he will use.

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