4. The Act of 1947 is amended by the insertion of the following section:

“31C. (1) Where a member of the Garda Síochána has reasonable grounds for believing that a person has committed an offence consisting of a contravention of a fixed penalty provision, that member may give to the person a notice in writing (in this section referred to as a ‘fixed payment notice’) in the prescribed form stating—

(a) that the person is alleged to have committed that offence,

(b) particulars of that alleged offence,

(c) that the person may, during the period of 28 days beginning on the date of the notice, make to such person as is specified in the notice at such place as is so specified a payment of such amount as may be prescribed being an amount of not more than €500, accompanied by the notice,

(d) that the person is not obliged to make the payment specified in the notice, and

(e) that a prosecution of the person to whom the notice is given in respect of the alleged offence will not be instituted during the period of 28 days beginning on the date of the notice and, that if the payment specified in the notice is made during that period, 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 it applies may, during the period of 28 days beginning on the date of the notice, make to such person, and at such place, as is specified in the notice the payment specified in the notice, accompanied by the notice,

(b) the person specified in the notice may, upon receipt of the payment, issue a receipt for it and any payment so received shall not be recoverable by the person who made it, and

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

(3) In proceedings for an offence consisting of a contravention of a penal provision it shall be a defence for the defendant to prove that he or she made a payment, in accordance with this section, pursuant to a fixed payment notice issued in respect of that offence.

(4) Moneys received pursuant to the giving of a fixed payment notice shall be paid into or disposed of for the benefit of the Exchequer.

(5) A fixed payment notice may be given to a person in one of the following ways:

(a) by giving it in person to the person;

(b) by sending it by post to the address at which the person ordinarily resides.

(6) For the purpose of this section, a company within the meaning of the Companies Act 2014 shall be deemed to be ordinarily resident at its registered office, and every other body corporate and every unincorporated body of persons shall be deemed to be ordinarily resident at its principal office or place of business.”.