Fisheries Offences

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 April 2019

Tuesday, 2 April 2019

Ceisteanna (393)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

393. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of court prosecutions initiated by his Department in each of the years 2014 to 2018; the result of each of these court cases; the number and values of fines issued in each year; the value of fines collected each year; the value of fines still outstanding in respect of these prosecutions; the arrangements in place to collect the outstanding fines; if he will provide an age analysis of these outstanding fines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15345/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested in relation to the number of court prosecutions initiated by my Department, the result or current status of these cases and the value of fines issued for each year is set out in the table. 

The Deputy will be aware that neither I, nor my Department, has any function in relation to the collection of fines, which rests with the Courts Service and consequently such records are not maintained by the Department. 

Year	No. of Prosecutions initiated	No. of Convictions/Ongoing	Total Fines €
2014	13	13 convictions	21,950
2015	34	31 convictions 3 ongoing	43,806
2016	31	30 convictions 1 ongoing	23,775
2017	18	17 convictions 1 ongoing	72,250
2018	26	4 convictions 22 ongoing	1,200