'Crime doesn't pay': Unpaid district court fines of €3.4m in Limerick

THE “EXTRAORDINARY” amount of unpaid district court fines in Limerick is “a slap in the face to the victims of their crimes”, said Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, a former barrister.

A total of €3,449,153.89 is currently outstanding in unpaid fines in Limerick since 2020, according to Miss Ní Mhurchú  who received the figures from the Irish Courts Service under the Freedom of Information Act.

Limerick has higher unpaid fines than all of Cork - €3.2m. Almost €45 million in unpaid district court fines are outstanding across Ireland’s district court system since 2020.

“What does this say to the victims who have been impacted by crimes such as drink driving, assault, theft, and shop lifting. We are imposing fines that a percentage of criminals are choosing to ignore and it seems there is little we are doing about it. 

“€45 million would fund a lot of domestic violence refuges, road safety campaigns and extra garda on our streets. It is time for a ‘get tough’ approach to those criminals who feel they are above the law.

"Our road deaths have been rising in Ireland for consecutive years. How can we expect any improvement in that scenario when those fined for traffic offences may choose not to pay the fine,” said Ms Ní Mhurchú, who called for the issue to be tackled in the upcoming review of the criminal justice system which was promised in the 2025 Programme for Government.

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Ms Ní Mhurchú argues that the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, which came into force on January 11, 2016 is “clearly not working when it comes to the recovery of most outstanding fines”. 

“The act provides for alternative orders to imprisonment in the event that a court imposed fine is not paid. The act allowed those convicted to pay fines in instalments, and introduced measures including attachment of earnings for unpaid fines, community service and the appointment of receivers to recover fines. It is time to implement the measures set out in the 2014 act aggressively.

“Clearly, the Courts Service is not implementing the measures set out in the 2014 act. The act allows measures up to and including taking someone’s social welfare or salary to pay the fines due. Is this being done? The courts service will say it takes time to collect fines but over €2.2m is still owing from 2020 and over €5.5m is still owing from 2021!!”

The figures released to Ms Ní Mhurchú show that 133,851 fines across the State have yet to be paid in full in our district court system.