Cynthia Ní Mhurchú

The 133,851 fines issued since 2020 which have not yet been fully paid were disclosed in response to a freedom of information request by Ireland South MEP and former barrister Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.

The €45 million sum includes around €13.3 million outstanding in Dublin, as well as €3.7 million due in Naas, €3.4 million in Limerick, €3.2 million in Cork and €2.4 million in Galway.

Ms Ní Mhurchú 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.

“We are imposing fines that a percentage of criminals are choosing to ignore and it seems there is little we are doing about it,” she said.

The Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014 provides for alternative orders to imprisonment in the event that a court imposed fine is not paid.

Ms Ní Mhurchú said: “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 €2.2 million is still owing from 2020 and over €5.5 million is still owing from 2021!”