A further two prosecutions have taken place in the courts as part of the campaign for the increased enforcement of company law.

Both prosecutions were taken by the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney.

Mr Paul Redmond was fined £300 (€381) in the first prosecution under section 318 of the 1963 Companies Act.

This section prohibits companies from trading as limited companies when this is not the case.

He pleaded guilty. The hearing was in September.

Mr Redmond's company, Prourban, had been struck off the register of companies in March.

No annual returns had been filed since the company, based in Leixlip, Co Kildare, was incorporated in 1992.

In another case Glovale Ltd, whose directors are Mr Anthony Doyle and Ms Mary Doyle, was fine £250 under section 131 of the Companies Act 1963.

This section concerns the failure to call annual general meetings.

The company has an address in Leixlip.

It is the third such prosecution. A guilty plea was entered.

A campaign of prosecutions of "errant companies and directors" has been under way since April as part of an exercise being carried out by the Companies Office.

Some 500 notices are being sent out each day to companies which have failed to make adequate returns. An examination of the returns in the Companies Office earlier this year found a compliance rate of only 13 per cent.