32.—(1) An offence under this Act may be prosecuted summarily by the Minister or the Director of Consumer Affairs.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Minister may by regulations provide that an offence under this Act, specified in the regulations, may be prosecuted summarily by such other person as may be so specified.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10 (4) of the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851, summary proceedings for an offence under this Act may be commenced—

(a) at any time within twelve months from the date on which the offence was committed, or

(b) at any time within six months from the date on which evidence sufficient, in the opinion of the person by whom the proceedings are initiated, to justify the proceedings, comes to such person's knowledge,

whichever is the later:

Provided that no such proceedings shall be initiated later than five years from the date on which the offence concerned was committed.

(4) For the purposes of this section, a certificate signed by or on behalf of the person initiating the proceedings as to the date on which evidence relating to the offence came to his knowledge shall be prima facie evidence thereof and in any legal proceedings a document purporting to be a certificate issued for the purposes of this subsection and to be so signed shall be deemed to be so signed and shall be admitted as evidence without proof of the signature of the person purporting to sign the certificate, unless the contrary is shown.

F12[(5) The powers of prosecution conferred on the Director of Consumer Affairs under this section shall be deemed to be functions of the Director for the purposes of sections 9 and 16 of the Consumer Information Act 1978.]