Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Bench warrants are most commonly issued by the District Court after a person has failed to appear in court. I am informed by the Courts Service that, since the commencement of the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014 on 11 January 2016, Judges have also issued bench warrants for people who fail to attend hearings on foot of being issued with a Fines Enforcement Notice.

I am informed by the Courts Service that the following table provides a breakdown of the number of District Court Criminal Bench Warrants and the number of Enforcement Fines Bench Warrants issued in 2017, 2018 and in 2019 as of 30 November 2019. No other categories of warrants are included in these totals.

In particular, the Courts Service has additionally indicated that the following table does not include Family Law Bench Warrants or Circuit Court Bench Warrants. It should also be noted that a person who is the subject of a Bench Warrant could be accused of more than one offence. In such a case, only one Bench Warrant will issue and the schedule of all offences is attached to the warrant.