10.— (1) The first dismissal under a proposal for collective redundancies that is referred to the Redundancy Panel under section 6(1) shall not take effect earlier than the expiration of the latest of whichever of the following periods is applicable:

(a) the period of 7 working days commencing on the day on which reference of the proposal is received by the Panel;

(b) the period of 7 working days commencing on the day on which a request made by the Redundancy Panel under section 6(2) is received by the Minister; or

(c) the period of 16 days commencing on the day on which a request made by the Minister under section 7(1) is lodged with the Labour Court.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) affects either—

(a) the operation of section 9(3) or 12(1) of the Protection of Employment Act 1977, or

(b) the right of an employer to dismiss an employee otherwise than in pursuance of the proposal for collective redundancies.

(3) An employer who effects a dismissal in pursuance of a proposal for collective redundancies before the expiration of such of the periods specified in subsection (1) and in sections 9(3) and 12(1) of the Protection of Employment Act 1977 as are applicable is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €250,000.