Health (Amendment) Act 2021

Amendment of section 31A of Act of 1947

3. Section 31A of the Act of 1947 is amended—

(a) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (6E):

“(6F) In any prosecution for an offence under this section in respect of which a person is seeking to rely on a defence of reasonable excuse, it shall be for the person, for that purpose, to adduce evidence of the existence of such reasonable excuse in respect of the offence concerned.”,

(b) in subsection (12), by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (a):

“(a) Subject to paragraph (b), a person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction—

(i) in the case of a first such offence, to a fine not exceeding €4,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or both,

(ii) in the case of a second such offence, to a fine not exceeding €4,500 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or both, and

(iii) in the case of a third or subsequent such offence, to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both.”,

and

(c) in subsection (17), by the substitution of “sections 31B, 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, 38E, 38F and 38G” for “section 31B and section 38A”.