John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

This amendment is not accepted. The 1851 Act applies only to summary offences, of which there are only two being created in the Bill, in sections 5(5) and 6(2). The 1851 Act already allows a period of up to six months after commission for summary offences to be prosecuted in court. If an offence under section 5(5) was of sufficient gravity, indictment proceedings would be taken. Such proceedings should not be required to be taken within six months of the offence being committed. On the other hand, section 6(2) offences involving obstructions of searches would be readily amenable to prompt prosecution and prosecution should not, therefore, be delayed beyond the six months allowed for in the 1851 Act.