970. (1) Subject to subsection (6), neither a body that is not a DAC nor an individual shall carry on any trade, profession or business under a name which includes, as its last part, the words “designated activity company”, or “cuideachta ghníomhaíochta ainmnithe” or abbreviations of those words.

(2) If a body or individual contravenes subsection (1), the body or individual and, in the case of a body, any officer of it who is in default, shall be guilty of a category 3 offence.

(3) A DAC shall not, in the following circumstances, use a name which may reasonably be expected to give the impression that it is any type of a company other than a DAC or that it is any other form of body corporate.

(4) Those circumstances are circumstances in which the fact that it is a DAC is likely to be material to any person.

(5) If a DAC contravenes subsection (3), the DAC and any officer of it who is in default shall be guilty of a category 3 offence.

(6) Subsection (1) shall not apply to any company—

(a) to which Part 21 applies, and

(b) which has provisions in its constitution that would entitle it to rank as a DAC if it had been registered in the State.