Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 January 2014
176. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the persons that benefit from the courts poor box when persons are fined in court; the way an organisation can apply to become a beneficiary to the courts poor box; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3283/14]
View answerThe court poor box is a non-statutory system used mostly by the District Courts, in conjunction with the Probation of Offenders Act 1907, to impose a financial charge on a defendant to be used for a charitable purpose, usually instead of imposing a criminal conviction. Payments made to the court poor box are accounted for by the court office concerned and the accounting procedures are subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Generally, charities are the recipients of poor box contributions but the decision is solely at the discretion of the Judge who is independent in the matter of sentencing, as in other matters concerning the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law.
The Courts Service has indicated that where an organisation wishes to become a beneficiary from the Court Poor Box they may apply, in writing, to their local District Court Office and any applications received will be brought to the attention of the presiding judge. In Dublin, applications should be forwarded to the President of the District Court.
Work is at a very advanced stage in my Department on the General Scheme of a Bill to replace the Probation of Offenders Act 1907 with modern provisions dealing with community sanctions, such as probation orders, and the role of the Probation Service in the criminal justice system. The Court Poor Box is being examined in this context with a view to bringing forward proposals for a transparent statutory reparation scheme. I intend to bring proposals to Government on the matter in the near future.
