Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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118. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the total value of uncollected fines for criminal offences in courts in Tipperary for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 to date in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31668/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made with the Courts Service and the table below sets out the number and value of uncollected fines for criminal offences in courts in Tipperary for 2013, 2014, 2015 and to 20 October 2016.

The Deputy may be aware that the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014 was commenced on 11 January 2016. Under this Act the law has been radically reformed in relation to the payment and recovery of fines. The Act provides an appropriate response to the problems of the refusal or failure of some people to pay fines and the inappropriateness of imprisonment as the automatic response where this happens. As well as introducing an option for persons to pay fines by instalment, there are also changes in the way those who fail to pay fines are dealt with, as the Act provides a range of options available to judges including recovery orders, attachment of earnings, community service and ultimately imprisonment.