18Withdrawal of infringement notice

18 Withdrawal of infringement notice

S. 18(1) amended by Nos 32/2006 s. 13(1), 48/2006 ss 40(2), 42(Sch. item 18.3), substituted by No. 47/2014 s. 213 (as amended by No. 59/2017 s. 96).

(1) An enforcement agency may withdraw an infringement notice by serving a withdrawal notice on the person served with the infringement notice—

(a) unless the infringement offence is of a kind specified in paragraph (b) or (c), at any time before the outstanding amount of the infringement penalty together with any penalty reminder notice fee are registered with the Director under the Fines Reform Act 2014;

(b) in the case of an infringement offence for which an infringement penalty may be registered under clause 4 of Schedule 3 to the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, at any time before an enforcement order under that Schedule is made;

(c) in the case of a non-registrable infringement offence, at any time before the expiry of the period for commencing a proceeding in relation to the offence to which the infringement notice relates.

(2) Subject to subsection (4), without limiting subsection (1), an enforcement agency may withdraw an infringement notice if the enforcement agency determines that—

(a) an official warning should be served on the person rather than an infringement notice; or

(b) proceedings are to be commenced against the person in respect of the infringement offence for which the infringement notice had been served; or

(c) the matter should be abandoned.

S. 18(3) amended by No. 59/2017 s. 112(1).

(3) Subject to subsection (4), an infringement notice may be withdrawn even if the infringement penalty and penalty reminder notice fee (if any) have been paid.

(4) In the case of an infringement notice in respect of an infringement offence requiring additional steps to be taken, the infringement notice cannot be withdrawn for the purposes of commencing proceedings against the person in respect of the offence for which the infringement notice had been served if the person on whom the infringement notice was served—

S. 18(4)(a) amended by No. 59/2017 s. 112(2).

(a) has paid the infringement penalty and penalty reminder notice fee (if any); and

(b) has taken all the required additional steps.

S. 18(5) amended by No. 59/2017 s. 112(3)(a).

(5) If an infringement notice is withdrawn, the amount of any infringement penalty and any penalty reminder notice fee paid must be refunded and—

S. 18(5)(a) amended by No. 59/2017 s. 112(3)(b).

(a) if the penalty and fee (if any) have been paid into the Consolidated Fund, the Consolidated Fund is, to the necessary extent, appropriated accordingly; or