Vol. 509 No. 1
311 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether there should be a system of payment of fines by instalments as applies in other jurisdictions; and the proposals, if any, he has in this regard. [19960/99]
At present neither district court offices nor the gardaí may accept payment of fines imposed in criminal cases by instalment as the current law provides for payment of court fines in full by the due date. However, the question of the payment of fines by instalment is one of the issues that arises for consideration in the context of the proposed legislation on attachment of earnings for the non payment of fines. Work on the drafting of an Attachment of Earnings Bill is currently at a preliminary stage in my Department.
My proposals in this matter are being prepared in the context of the imminent establishment of the Courts Service and against a background of the major IT development programme which is currently under way in the courts. Arrangements are in place under which a defendant may request a court to allow an extension of time in which to pay a penalty.
