Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

If one could pay fines of under €100 by instalments, it would lead to a substantial workload on the Courts Service. A conservative estimate suggests 10,000 such successful applications annually. Less than 10% of the total number of fines imposed could realistically lead to an additional 100,000 transactions.

When one looks at the type of fines imposed in the District Courts, 70% relate to motor traffic offences. Normally, the fines are more than €100. The percentage of fines for road traffic offences, which result in a fine of less than €100, is approximately 70%. If people are unable to pay, that section kicks in. The court would have to take that into account, so it would impose an appropriate fine based on the person's circumstances. Some 70% of the fines imposed in the District Courts are for road traffic offences and if people are able to afford a car, they should be well able to afford a fine of more than €100. This is to ensure the Courts Service does not collapse under the bureaucratic system which would have to be built in for fines. We have gone as low as we felt possible in consultation with the Courts Service.