ONLY 28 per cent of the fines imposed by courts in Limerick over the past 18 months has been paid by the people fined.
According to figures from the Irish Courts Service, €254,000 has been paid of the €920,000 imposed in fines by courts in Limerick City and County from January 2021 to the end of June 2022.
On a national level, more than 84,000 fines were imposed during 2021 and the first half of this year. €7.6 million had been received of the €25.6 million levied by judges, with almost €18 million remaining unpaid.
Just over 2,000 cases remain either under appeal or have gone to a judicial review while less than €16,000 has been classified as “uncollectible” due to death or other considerations.
The Courts Service said arrangements are in place for people to continue paying outstanding fines.
However, official figures show that only ten per cent of those who refuse to pay their fines show up at enforcement hearings and less than seven per cent receive any kind of sanction.
Overall, for 2021, court fines amounted to about €16.3 million of which just under a third, or €5.5 million, has so far been paid.
In the first half of 2022, the courts handed down about €9.2 million in fines, of which 23 per cent, or €2.1 million, has been paid.
