Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

These amendments are self-explanatory. The purpose of the five amendments is to increase from €3,000 to €5,000 the maximum fine on summary conviction originally proposed in the Bill. This is in accordance with the recent decision of the Attorney General that the maximum fine for summary offences generally should be updated to increase the deterrent effect. In short it is to ensure the increased maximum fine is a deterrent. It is a matter for the courts to decide what the fine should be.

There are proposals to introduce a fines Bill in the future and I hope that would ensure that fines could be increased on an annual or biannual basis in line with inflation or the consumer price index or whatever the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform may decide. As that may take some time, in line with the recommendation of the Attorney General we have included this figure.