A Dublin City councillor who splattered former minister for health Mary Harney with red paint insists she will not pay a fine imposed on her for the offence.
Louise Minihan (29) from Chapelizod in Dublin said her actions were a "legitimate form of political protest" and that she had "no intention" of paying the fine.
Ms Minihan, a member of socialist republican party Eirigi, was found guilty of criminal damage and assault at Dublin District Court last week.
Ms Harney had paint thrown at her, covering parts of her clothes, neck, chest and hands, during a sod-turning ceremony for a new primary care and mental health unit at Cherry Orchard Hospital in west Dublin, on November 1st last.
Ms Minihan was among a group of protestors from the Save Cherry Orchard Hospital Campaign. The hospital last year lost a 22-bed respite care and full-time beds unit for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.
Ms Harney gave evidence that she estimated that between €600 and €800 worth of damage had been caused to her clothes.
On Friday, Judge Anne Watkins imposed a two-month suspended term on condition Ms Minihan keeps the peace for the next 12 months for the criminal damage charge and a €1,500 fine to be paid within a year or she will face a seven-day jail term for assault.
"People are entitled to protest but are not entitled to do that," the judge said.
Ms Minihan refused to do community service or to make a donation to a charity nominated by Mary Harney, because she wanted to "stand over her actions".
Today, Ms Minihan said she would be willing to make a charitable donation to Cherry Orchard Hospital but not to a charity of Harney's choosing.
"If the state chooses to jail me for non-payment of the fine so be it," she said.
