Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THERE HAS BEEN an increase in the court’s poor box receipts, despite the Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan stating that the system “is no longer a fit place in justice administration”.
The latest Courts Service report shows that in 2017, poor box receipts amounted to €2,007,000. This is a rise from 2016, which showed receipts stood at €1,720,000.
The minister told TheJournal.ie yesterday that it is his intention to abolish the system, stating that he is working on appropriate legislation to scrap the scheme whereby offenders contribute to charity in lieu of conviction, or for a lesser conviction, at the discretion of individual judges.
Flanagan said he hopes to publish the legislation by the end of the year.
The poor box is mostly used by the District Courts, but the takings vary in different areas around the country.
Court Service figures showed that Kerry’s poor box paid out nearly €400,000 in 2016, which is a quarter of the overall total, while Mayo paid out just under €10,000.
Earlier this year, it was announced that payments to organisations from the poor box are to be published on the Courts Service website to ensure greater accountability and transparency.
There has been much debate about the poor box system over the years, with one of Flanagan’s predecessors, Alan Shatter, also committing to getting rid of the scheme in 2014.
In 2005, the Law Reform Commission recommended that the operation of the poor box be put on a statutory footing with a number of recommendations to make the system more accountable.
It was recommended that rather than leaving it to individual judges to decide what charities would benefit, all the money should be paid into one central fund and a committee should be set up to administer that fund and decide which charities should benefit.
In 2015, it was revealed that drivers around the country were avoiding penalty points by making donations to the poor box.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Take from the poor box straight into the government coffers ..
@Hardly Normal: nice!
@Hardly Normal:
I’d say it’s hardly from the poor in many cases!
@Michael Kavanagh: True. I know a very violent toerag who has assaulted several people on nights out, but is from a “good family”.
He’s gotten the poor box everytime.
This has to be illegal.
@Michael Kavanagh: I don’t think he is referring to the people paying into the poorbox but rather the charities that benefit from this system.
I think this is a good thing. A charity I work for has on several occasions applied to get some of these monies without any joy. Not even a response back. There’s no transparency to where these monies are going.
@Billy Nomates: I was wondering where the money went to… ‘the poor box ‘ is a bit vague as to where the money ends up
@Elaynehb: Extremely vague.
He’s right. It should be abolished as should anything left to judge’s discretion. Bunch of useless cronies
My concern about the poor box is that there are two standards of justice,one man is convicted and sentenced while for the same offence another gets no conviction and is offered to make a contribution to the poor box, how is that fair?
If my junior cert history serves me, I pretty sure people figured out letting the rich pay indulgences to get out of trouble was unfair as far back as 1517.
Can we please have a list of those beneficiaries for the past 10 years ,sure, that will make for interesting reading .
So 2 million a year is lobbed into the “poor” box. And yet, the poorest people are still struggling to live. Funny that. Can’t wait to look at the vague publication which shows exactly where the money is going without showing EXACTLY where it’s going.
poor box can end up in rich people’s pocket on many occasions
Great idea, set up another committee to distribute the funds no doubt run by politicians who will of course have to be paid to be on the committee and by the end of it all there will be nothing left for the charities, that would be typical.
Ridiculous. We don’t have Hegde schools anymore, get rid.
Why should the court Poor Box be scrapped?? Of course it should not be scrapped! It should remain. It serves good purposes including allowing for citizens convicted of trivial offences to not be harshly punished, and it contributes to the help of the poor.
@J. Reid: The public do not want the court Poor Box to be scrapped, only awful journalists and quango-members who have nothing better to do than attack societally-beneficial things.
It is a good thing that a judge has discretion. Just because a bunch of anti judiciary groups get publicity for their pet hates doesn’t mean we throw out something that has served the State well
So 2 million a year is lobbed into the “poor” box. And yet, the poorest people are still struggling to live. Funny that. Can’t wait to look at the vague publication which shows exactly where the money is going without showing EXACTLY where it’s going.
poor box,if you have money you can get away with a conviction how can this be called justice,just another collection agency for cash for the government
Is it not better hit the offenders in the pocket where it hurts, as otherwise they get off scott free completely, with our lenient judiciary .
have your say