Over €1 million in court fines unpaid in Laois since 2020

Over €1 million in fines remain unpaid to Portlaoise District Court since 2020. 

Details of unpaid fines were released under Freedom of Information to Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, who described the situation in Ireland as “extraordinary”. 

In Portlaoise, a total of 3,516 fines amounting to €1.17 million remain unpaid since 2020. In 2024 alone, there are 1,148 unpaid fines amounting to €537, 010. 

In 2023 there were 985 fines valued at €322,718, in 2022 a further 618 fines totaling €158, 198, in 2021 there were 623 fines totalling €130, 670 and in 2020, 142 fines valued at €29,315 remain unpaid. 

Ms Ní Mhurchú, a former barrister, said the unpaid district court fines were “a slap in the face” to the victims of their crimes. 

The Irish Courts service released the figures to Ms Ní Mhurchú which show that almost €45 million in unpaid district court fines are outstanding across Ireland’s district court system since 2020.

She has called for the issue of unpaid district court fines to be included in the upcoming review of the criminal justice system which was promised in the 2025 Programme for Government.

“What does this say to the victims who have been impacted by crimes such as drink driving, assault, theft, and shop lifting. We are imposing fines that a percentage of criminals are choosing to ignore and it seems there is little we are doing about it. €45 million would fund a lot of domestic violence refuges, road safety campaigns and extra Garda on our streets. It is time for a get tough approach to those criminals who feel they are above the law. Our road deaths have been rising in Ireland for consecutive years. How can we expect any improvement in that scenario when those fined for traffic offences may choose not to pay the fine,” said Ms Ní Mhurchú.

She argues that the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, which came into force on January 11, 2016 is clearly not working when it comes to the recovery of most outstanding fines. The act provides for alternative orders to imprisonment in the event that a court imposed fine is not paid. The act allowed those convicted to pay fines in instalments,  and introduced measures including attachment of earnings for unpaid fines, community service and the appointment of receivers to recover fines. Ní Mhurchú feels it is time to implement the measures set out in the 2014 act aggressively.

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“Clearly, the courts service are not implementing the measures set out in the 2014 act. The act allows measures up to and including taking someone’s social welfare or salary to pay the fines due. Is this being done? The courts service will say it takes time to collect fines but over €2.2m is still owing from 2020 and over €5.5m is still owing from 2021,” said Ms Ní Mhurchú. 

Ní Mhurchú’s figures show that 133, 851 fines across the state have yet to be paid in full in our district court system.