Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The Senator has answered his own point. There would need to be discretion if the indiscretion was minor. It is a case of not being over-prescriptive in legislation. There could be a very unfair situation where someone, inadvertently or due to infirmity, may have omitted to make a declaration. The Minister would act on the recommendation of officials with regard to the seriousness of the incident. There is legal precedent for this in other legislation. There should be discretion where the penalties are punitive and could be publicly punitive for what might have been a minor indiscretion.

Question put and agreed to.

SECTION 26.

Question proposed: "That section 26 stand part of the Bill."