Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

The point must be made that not all parties may be culpable. The offence may be committed by a manager and other parties would not be culpable. I fully accept the need to bring enforcement proceedings and to obtain speedy results in these matters. Section 16 provides the Minister with unprecedented powers in respect of all the offences that can be brought at the same time.

Senator Feighan's amendment seeks to point out that it is standard legal practice in this area to provide for individual enforcements. Lumping everyone together, when two of the three or three of the four parties are not culpable, is most unfair.