Charities received more than €1 million from the court poor box system in 2023, according to new figures from the Courts Service.
The payments to charity are predominantly made at the discretion of District Court judges in minor, non-violent criminal cases with no custodial sentence.
Hundreds of charities located throughout the 26 counties received poor-box money last year. The Courts Service itself has no function in the allocation of payments, which amounted to some €1.05 million in 2023.
The beneficiaries included Coolmine Therapeutic Community (€52,120), Cork Simon (€47,150), the Irish Red Cross (€29,350), Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice (€13,005), the Merchants Quay Project (€35,140) and Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital (€13,350).
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Payments into the box are often made for public order offences, including breaches of the peace, intoxication or disorderly conduct in a public place.
Offences such as threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place or failing to comply with a Garda direction can also lead to payment.
The box is also used for first-time, minor drug offences and offences against property.
“There are many reasons and instances why the court poor box is used by judges of offences on the more minor side of the scale,” a Courts Service spokesman said.
“The accused may never previously have been before the courts, the accused may have pleaded guilty, a conviction might be inappropriate or might adversely affect employment, career or working abroad prospects, and/or the offence may be of a minor or less serious nature.”
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