Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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544. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of unpaid court imposed fines in 2017; the percentage of these that were imposed for burglary offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15716/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of information on the courts system, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the table below sets out the information sought in relation to the amount of unpaid court imposed fines in 2017 and the percentage of those fines that were imposed for burglary offences.

The Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014  provides for alternatives to imprisonment for non-payment of fines.  Section 7 provides for the issuing of enforcement notices where fines have not been paid or instalment payment arrangements have not been maintained. Therefore all fines  outstanding / in default imposed since January 2016 must become subject to the section 7 procedure.  Section 7 provides for a notification procedure  specifying a return date for the appearance of a fined person before the District Court. The section provides alternative options to imprisonment that are available to the court – imposition of attachment of earnings, debt recovery, community service orders or imprisonment.

The Courts Service commenced a pilot implementation of the section 7 enforcement process with the first batch of  enforcement notices issuing in July 2017 for court return dates in September 2017.  Procedural issues arose in respect of the section 7 process in the course of the Pilot, and  notices ceased issuing from Courts Service in September 2017, pending a review.  Issues arising were addressed by all relevant State Agencies, including the Courts Service and An Garda Siochana, and the Courts Service resumed issuing  enforcement notices in January 2018.  The resumed hearings have commenced with effect from last month, and a strategy is in place with a view to clearing all outstanding hearings during the course of 2019.  I have asked my Department to closely monitor the position with a view to ensuring a comprehensive response to the problem of accumulated unpaid fines.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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545. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of unpaid court imposed fines in 2016; the percentage of these that were imposed for burglary offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15717/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of information on the courts system, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the table below sets out the information sought in relation to the amount  of unpaid court imposed fines in 2016 and the percentage of those fines that were imposed for burglary offences.

The Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014  provides for alternatives to imprisonment for non-payment of fines.  Section 7 provides for the issuing of enforcement notices where fines have not been paid or instalment payment arrangements have not been maintained. Therefore all fines  outstanding / in default imposed since January 2016 must become subject to the section 7 procedure.  Section 7 is essentially a notification procedure specifying a return date for appearance of the fined person before the District Court. The section provides alternative options to imprisonment that are available to the court – imposition of attachment of earnings, debt recovery, community service orders or imprisonment.

The  Courts Service commenced a pilot implementation of the section 7 enforcement process and the first batch of  enforcement notices issued in July 2017 for court return dates in September 2017.  Procedural issues arose in respect of the section 7 process in the course of the Pilot, and notices ceased issuing from the Courts Service in September 2017, pending a review.  Issues arising were addressed by all relevant State Agencies, including the Courts Service and An Garda Siochana, and the Courts Service resumed issuing  enforcement notices in January 2018.  The resumed hearings have commenced with effect from last month, and a strategy is in place with a view to clearing all outstanding hearings during the course of 2019.  I have asked my Department to closely monitor the position with a view to ensuring a comprehensive response to the problem of accumulated unpaid fines.