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Bench Warrants

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2019

Tuesday, 5 March 2019

Questions (217)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

217. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of bench warrants issued for fines not paid under the Fines Act 2010 by county in each of the years 2014 to 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10268/19]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of information on the courts system.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has provided information in the manner in which the statistics are readily available.

The Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014 was enacted in 2014 and commenced on 11th January 2016. The Act provided that when a Judge imposed a fine, he or she could fix the amount and the time allowed for payment.  If the fine remained unpaid the fined person had to be brought back to court where the judge could then make an order for attachment of earnings, for community service or (if the fine was greater than €500, a recovery order). If the fined person did not appear for the enforcement hearing, the judge could issue a bench warrant.

Because of the extensive technical changes that had to be made to Courts Service systems, the first enforcement hearings (i.e. hearings for fixing a default because the fine wasn't paid) were not scheduled until  late 2017.  Therefore no bench warrants relating to the Fines Act were issued in 2014, 2015 or 2016.

The number of bench warrants does not equate to the number of fines. A fined person might be summoned back to court on the same day for multiple fines. If the fined person does not  appear for the hearing, one bench warrant will issue. There will not be a separate bench warrant for each fine.  

Report on the number of bench warrants issued under the Fines Act

Note: A bench warrant may cover a number of offences for that defendant but report only displays one offence.  

Jan -  Dec 2017

Office

No of Bench   Warrants issued under the fines act

ATHLONE DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

13

CARLOW DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

27

CARRICK-ON-SHANNON OFFICE

1

CAVAN DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

3

CLONAKILTY DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

31

CLONMEL DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

11

CORK DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

4

DONEGAL DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

2

KILKENNY DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

82

LETTERKENNY DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

6

LONGFORD DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

19

MALLOW DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

19

MONAGHAN DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

6

MULLINGAR DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

13

NENAGH DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

16

SLIGO DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

2

WEXFORD DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

2

Total

 257

Jan – Dec 2018

Court Offices

No of Bench   Warrants under the fines act

ATHLONE DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

211

BALLINA DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

29

BLANCHARDSTOWN DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

217

BRAY DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

387

CARLOW DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

260

CARRICK-ON-SHANNON OFFICE

39

CASTLEBAR DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

28

CAVAN DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

245

CLONAKILTY DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

49

CLONMEL DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

279

CLOVERHILL COURTHOUSE OFFICE

27

CORK DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

1,261

CRIMINAL COURTS OF JUSTICE

450

DONEGAL DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

56

DUBLIN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

2,059

DUNDALK DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

23

DUNLAOGHAIRE DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

243

ENNIS DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

398

GALWAY DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

791

KILKENNY DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

676

LETTERKENNY DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

217

LIMERICK DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

1,784

LONGFORD DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

342

LOUGHREA DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

127

MALLOW DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

163

METROPOLITAN CHILDREN'S COURT OFFICE

1

MONAGHAN DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

204

MULLINGAR DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

405

NENAGH DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

194

PORTLAOISE DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

67

ROSCOMMON DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

71

SLIGO DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

161

SWORDS DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

166

TULLAMORE DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

134

WATERFORD DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

208

WEXFORD DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

518

YOUGHAL DISTRICT COURT OFFICE

76

Total

12,566

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