€1.85m owed in unpaid court fines in Louth

Over €1.85 million in District Court fines issued in Louth between 2018 and 2022 remain unpaid according to figures released to the Dundalk Democrat under Freedom of Information (FOI).

Figures show that over the last five years 6,075 fines totalling just under €2.65 million were issued through Dundalk Court Office which includes the District Court Areas of Dundalk, Drogheda and Ardee.

However, just 2,626 fines have been paid in full or in part, meaning almost 70% of the money due is still outstanding.
Fines are issued by the courts as a punishment for an offence and are often an alternative to community service or imprisonment.

Under the Fines Act 2014, those sanctioned can now pay in instalments in a move that was brought in to stop the imprisonment of people who are unable to pay a fine in one go.

The year 2019 saw the most money left unpaid with 1,560 fines imposed at Dundalk Court Office adding to a total value of just over €1.386 million.

€165k (701 fines) of this has been recovered in full or in part, with €4678 (35 fines) deemed “uncollectable” leaving an outstanding amount of €1.216 million (824 fines) still to be paid.

Fines can be deemed uncollectable for a number of reasons including if the person is deceased or if an enforcement sanction has been imposed.

The reason for the particularly  high amount of fines in 2019 was due to one fine where the person was convicted of €500 per day from the date of offence which was the 6th of March 2014 to the date of conviction in court in 2019 plus costs and legal expenses. 

The offence in question was contrary To The Provisions Of Section 156 (2) Of The Planning And Development Act 2000.

Additionally, over 108k was donated to the poor box in 2019 with Turas Counselling (€10,160), The Red Door Project (€7600) and Family Addiction Support Network (€6,700) the biggest beneficiaries.

Last year, 2022, has the second most money left outstanding, with a total of 1,235 fines imposed at district court level in the county with a value of €330k.

€117k (447 fines) of this has been recovered in part or in full, leaving an outstanding amount of just over €205k (788 fines) still to be paid.

Poor box figures for 2022 have yet to be published.

In 2018, 1,528 fines were issued in Louth with a total value of just over €465k.

€190k (738 fines) of this has been recovered in part or in full, with just under €100k (334 fines) deemed “uncollectable” leaving an outstanding amount of €175k (455 fines) still to be paid.

In 2018, one fine worth €300 was deemed to be refundable, which can happen when a fine is successfully appealed, set aside, or when a new fine is imposed.

2018 also saw over €160k donated to the poor box at Dundalk Court Offices with the top three recipients being Turas Counselling (€10,100), The Red Door Project (€10,100) and Ardee Day Centre (€7200).

Meanwhile, in 2021, 954 fines were imposed at Dundalk Court Office adding up to a value of €238k .
€93k (370 fines) of this has been recovered, with €600 (3 fines) deemed “uncollectable” leaving an outstanding amount of just under €145k (581 fines) still to be paid.

2021 again saw Turas Counselling (€35,664) and The Red Door Project (€38,653) receive the most poor box donations, with The Mid-Louth Strengthening Families Programme (€2500) receiving the third most. Just over €80k was donated to the poor box in Louth that year.

Finally, 798 fines were imposed at Dundalk Court Office in 2020 with a value of just under €224k.

The figures show that €90k (370 fines) of this has been recovered in part or in full, with €1,150 (5 fines) deemed “uncollectable” leaving an outstanding amount of just over €132k (423 fines) still to be paid.

Turas Counselling (€39,300) and The Red Door Project (€33,800) received the most from the poor box in 2019 with Women’s Aid Dundalk receiving €3930 and a total of €91,580 ordered to be paid into the poor box that year.