Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 Nov 1991

Vol. 413 No. 5

Written Answers. - On-the-Spot Fines.

Seán Barrett

Ceist:

125 Mr. S. Barrett asked the Minister for Justice (1) whether he keeps under review the general question of the introduction of on-the-spot fines and (2) whether a record is kept in his Department of all legislation within the responsibility of different Departments allowing on-the-spot fines; and if he will give details of such legislation.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Burke)

What is commonly referred to as an "on-the-spot fine" is in fact an invitation to pay an amount by way of fixed penalty as an alternative to being summonsed to court for certain minor infringements of the law. Apart from certain litter offences which are enforced by local authorities, the only offences which at present attract "on-the-spot fines" are minor traffic violations i.e. illegal parking and non-display of tax disc.

As Minister responsible for the administration of the courts and the Garda Síochána I am naturally concerned to promote measures which would save court time and Garda time spent in court and in enforcing court fines. I am therefore favourably disposed to the application of "fines-on-the-spot" to minor offences of what might be described as a regulatory nature where this is feasible from the legal, policy and practical points of view. However, the assessment of the feasibility of using "fines-on-the-spot" as part of a particular regulatory regime is a matter in the first instance for the Minister with responsibility for the area concerned. Only the Minister with responsibility for and familiar with the operation and the requirements of the regulatory apparatus applying in a particular area would be in a position to make a considered judgment as to the desirability or otherwise of introducing "fines-on-the-spot" in that area. For example, any question of extending fines-on-the-spot to further environmental or traffic offences would be a matter in the first instance for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment.