56D. (1) Where an authorised person has reasonable grounds for believing that a person is committing or has committed an offence under section 56A(9) (for a contravention or failure to comply with a provision of a bye-law made under that section) or section 56C(2), he or she may serve personally or by post on the person a notice ("fixed payment notice") in the prescribed form stating that—

(a) the person is alleged to have committed the offence specified in the notice,

(b) the person may, during the period of 21 days beginning on the date of the notice, make to the Authority at the address specified in the notice a payment of €100, or such other amount standing specified in regulations made by the Minister, accompanied by the notice, duly completed,

(c) the person is not obliged to make the payment, and

(d) a prosecution in respect of the alleged offence will not be instituted during the period specified in the notice under paragraph (b) and, if a payment specified in the notice is made during the period so specified, accompanied by the notice, duly completed, no prosecution in respect of the alleged offence will be instituted.

(2) Where a fixed payment notice is given under subsection (1) —

(a) the person to whom the notice applies may, during the period specified in the notice, make to the Authority at the address specified in the notice the payment specified in the notice, accompanied by the notice, duly completed,

(b) the Authority may receive the payment, issue a receipt for it and retain the money so paid, and any payment so received shall not be recoverable in any circumstances by the person who made it, and

(c) a prosecution in respect of the alleged offence to which the notice relates will not be instituted during the period specified in the notice, and, if the payment so specified is made during the period so specified, no prosecution in respect of the alleged offence will be instituted.

(3) In a prosecution for an offence referred to in subsection (1) the onus of proving that a payment pursuant to a fixed payment notice has been made lies on the defendant.

(4) In any proceedings in respect of an offence referred to in subsection (1) a document purporting to be a certificate or receipt of posting or delivery by or on behalf of An Post or another postal service is evidence of the posting or delivery of a fixed payment notice.

(5) Income generated by the payment of the fixed payment amount specified under subsection (1)(b) pursuant to a fixed payment notice shall be disposed of in a manner determined by the Authority with the agreement of the Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(6) In this section "prescribed" means prescribed in bye-laws made by the Authority under section 56A.]