Photo owned by felix_s (cc)

Statement by Ciarán Lynch TD Spokesperson on Housing and Local Government:

The provision in the Nuclear Test Ban Bill that allows for somebody found guilty of detonating a nuclear bomb to be jailed for only 12 months or fined just €5,000 is just silly and should be removed, according to Labour.

The Bill will be debated tomorrow at the Oireachtas Environment Committee.

Deputy Lynch said: “This provision is crazy and I’ll be asking Minister Gormley to get rid of it. Under the provisions of this legislation, if the nuclear detonation is of a minor nature, the District Court can impose a sentence of 12-month jail sentence or a €5,000 fine. How can detonating a nuclear bomb be minor?

“If somebody detonates a nuclear bomb, the chances are that there will be no jail to put them in. Nor will be there be too many people concerned about collecting a fine!

“The District Court is authorised to impose fines of €10,000. With its maximum fines of €5000, this bill doesn’t even let it go that far with ! It just doesn’t make any sense.

“This is beyond ridiculous. We’ve become accustomed to some barmy ideas coming from the John Gormley and his Green Party colleagues, but this takes the biscuit.”

+5 points for “takes the biscuit.” Some Pat Rabbitte fun I found while googling all this:

Mr. Rabbitte:…I understand the House will debate the
Nuclear Test Ban Bill 2006, which decrees that “a
person who carries out, or causes the carrying out
of, a nuclear explosion in the State shall be guilty
of an offence”.
An Ceann Comhairle: We cannot discuss next
week’s business now.
Mr. Howlin: We had better get back on our
motorbikes quick.
An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Rabbitte has
made his point.
Mr. Rabbitte: The new provisions will be
immensely reassuring to the public. Should we
presume it was not an offence up to now?
An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Rabbitte, you
have made your point.
Mr. Brennan: It is important to clear it up.
Mr. Rabbitte: In certain cases, the District
Court may try the person charged with that
offence summarily.
An Ceann Comhairle: You have made your
point.
Mr. Rabbitte: A Cheann Comhairle, one has to
fill the time with something.
An Ceann Comhairle: It is not in order this
morning, Deputy. The Chair has given you plenty
of latitude.