Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I appreciate the point made by the Minister of State that this provision would be normal for ordinary, run-of-the-mill offences. As I have no legal qualifications, I am approaching this provision as a layman and concerned citizen. First, I cannot understand why somebody would not be convicted on indictment if he or she had any involvement in this activity. If somebody is convicted, even summarily, it means he or she presumably had some knowledge or participated in some way. The legislation should be sufficiently strong in order that it will send a clear signal to the effect that if one is remotely knowledgeable of something like this happening, one does have responsibilities and that there can be no peripheral connection with it which simply leads to a small fine or a short term of imprisonment. Perhaps there are such circumstances, but I cannot visualise how somebody would be convicted while at the same time not having had an involvement, given that if he or she had faced up to his or her citizenship responsibility, it would have avoided what might have been a very serious loss of life. I will not press it any further but I am trying to extract from the Minister of State and the Department the circumstances in which summary convictions may be applicable. The Leas-Chathaoirleach is a legal expert and may be able to enlighten me on it. Perhaps it is my ignorance of the law but I am concerned and that is why I am pressing the point.