Only 40% of court fines handed out in 2017 and 2018 have been paid so far.
According to details released under the Freedom of Information Act, €14 million in fines are still outstanding from the two years.
In 2017, just over €22 million worth of court fines were imposed across Ireland, but only €10.9 million worth were paid – a payment rate of less of only 49%.
The following year, fines worth €21.2 million were handed out by judges in Irish courts – but just €6.9 million have been recovered so far.
That’s a payment rate of only 32%.
Athlone solicitor John Keogh claims it’s down to a system introduced in 2016 that cut the number of people jailed for refusing to pay.
Limerick had a particularly poor payment rate in 2017 – with only 22% of fines paid, while Clonmel’s was 26%.
For 2018, there’s been a 26% collection rate in Dublin – with nearly €4.6 million worth of fines unpaid so far.
In Galway, the collection rate last year was 32% and it was 35% in Cork city.
