Courts
Reform for 'Poor-box'
The Law Reform Commission is proposing that the Poor Box system, which is used mainly by District Court judges in minor criminal matters, should be replaced by a statutory system called the Court Charity Fund.
The provisional recommendation is contained in a new consultation paper published by the Commission today.
The court Poor Box has been in existence for centuries but is not regulated by any legislation. In the last two years close to €1m has been donated to it annually.
Under the law reform body's recommendations, the Court Charity Fund would be available only for summary offences and subject to a prescribed list of factors which the judge could take into account.
The fund would not be available where the court records a conviction. The maximum amount payable would have a ceiling at the limit of the court's jurisdiction, or €6,350 in the District Court and €38,100 in the Circuit Court.
The money would be paid into a fund managed by the Department of Community Affairs, which is responsible for charities.
