Michael Ring
Question:283 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications to open a petition approved since June 1997 for court fines and penalties on a monthly basis. [14016/98]
Vol. 492 No. 4
283 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications to open a petition approved since June 1997 for court fines and penalties on a monthly basis. [14016/98]
284 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications to open a petition on court fines and penalties received since June 1997; the number dealt with; the number awaiting a decision; and the average length of time from when an application is submitted to when a decision issues. [14017/98]
285 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people who have had court fines and penalties reduced through applications to open a petition; and if he will make a statement on the policy for petitions. [14018/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 283, 284 and 285 together.
The available statistics provided below give details of petition cases finalised in the period from the end of June 1997 to the end of May 1998. Many of those cases were included in the backlog of approximately 5,200 unprocessed petitions which had built up as a consequence of the April 1995 High Court Judgment on petitions.
Petitions Finalised July, 1997 and May, 1997
1. |
2. |
3. |
4. |
5. |
6. |
||
Month |
Application to open petition refused |
Petition refused |
Extension of Time |
Part Mitigation |
Full Mitigation |
Prison Sentence (substitution of fine-in-lieu) |
Total |
July 1997 |
1 |
2 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
3 |
August 1997 |
nil |
8 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
8 |
September 1997 |
4 |
10 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
14 |
October 1997 |
3 |
20 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
23 |
November 1997 |
nil |
4 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
4 |
December 1997 |
nil |
6 |
nil |
1 |
nil |
nil |
7 |
January 1998 |
nil |
51 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
51 |
February 1998 |
nil |
35 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
35 |
March 1998 |
48 |
23 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
71 |
April 1998 |
58 |
152 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
210 |
May 1998 |
99 |
249 |
nil |
nil |
nil |
nil |
348 |
Total |
213 |
560 |
nil |
1 |
nil |
nil |
774 |