Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 3

Written Answers. - Collection of Fines.

Richard Bruton

Question:

279 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason fines for minor offences are often not enforced, outlining in particular the problems in relation to motoring offences and gaming law offences; and the initiatives he plans to rectify this situation. [20511/01]

Richard Bruton

Question:

283 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of on the spot fines issued for motoring offences, classified by type, for gaming law offences and for other items for which on the spot fines can be issued in each of the past five years; and the proportion of the face value of fines which were actually collected in respect of each case and each year. [20516/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 283 together.

Details in relation to the number of fines on the spot issued for the years 1995 to 1999 in relation to motoring offences are set out in the following tabular statement.

Offence	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Parking	317,473	356,642	309,501	189,001	128,911
No Tax Displayed	62,236	43,439	41,909	36,363	44,314
Seat Belt* (1)	–	–	–	–	25,000
Speeding* (2)	–	–	71,337	131,931	178,009

*(1) Fines on the spot for seat belt offences came into force in February 1999.

*(2) Fines on the spot for speeding offences came into force in December 1996.

There are no fines on the spot for breaches of the Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1956. Although details in relation to the proportion of all fines on the spot collected are not readily available, experience to date has shown that 84% of fines for speeding and seat belt offences are paid without the need to institute legal proceedings.

With regard to the enforcement of court fines, a warrant which issues to a fine defaulter is a court order and every effort is made by the Garda Síochána to execute all such warrants. In relation to measures to enhance the system for the collection of fines, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 222 of 30 May 2001; 344 of 29 May 2001 and 60 of 12 April 2001 on the issue of the collection of fines, which was the subject of a value for money examination carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

An inter-agency high level group, established following the Comptroller and Auditor General's examination, will report back to the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts later this year on progress in enhancing the system for the collection of outstanding fines.