Court Service figures show recent increases in the use of the poor box and the avoidance of convictions with accompanying penalty points. Penalty points were introduced through the 2002 Road Traffic Act. Following the 2014 ruling, then minister for transport Leo Varadkar confirmed the judgment “was circulated by the president of the District Court to all District Courts”. In 2022, 133 drivers avoided a court conviction with penalty point punishment by instead giving a charity donation. “The attention of judges of the District Court has been drawn to this from time to time,” he added.

Source: The Irish Times November 11, 2025 16:32 UTC