‘‘Have the State nothing better to do?’’: Kildare judge criticises delayed fine enforcement court cases

A Naas District Court judge criticised delays in two separate court cases concerning TV licence and litter fines.

Judge Desmond Zaidan made the comments while he was presiding over the cases on Thursday, November 16 last.

In the first case, the court was told that back in 2017, a woman was ordered to pay a fine in relation to not paying for a TV licence, and she had not paid it yet.

The woman told Judge Zaidan that the TV in question wasn't in her name at the time, but nevertheless offered to pay the fine.

Commenting on the delay, the judge said: "It's really unconscionable."

When the woman began to speak, Judge Zaidan stopped her from talking, adding: "Please, I'm on your side here."

Turning to a nearby garda, he added: "Some people can't see the trees from the woods."

He then asked for the reason behind the delays, but when none could be offered by the State, he struck out the case.

The woman thanked the judge for his decision.

In the second case, which followed immediately after the first, a separate woman was due to pay a TV licence fine originally ordered in 2021.

Judge Zaidan remarked: "She isn't as lucky as the last person," in reference to the date of the offence.

The woman told Judge Zaidan: "I don't need one, it's covered by the carer's licence, so I think there's a mix up."

She also faced an additional fine for littering.

The woman claimed that she went to a plastic bottle bin, and upon discovering it was full, she left a bag full of plastic bottles beside the bin.

Judge Zaidan once again criticised the delays: "Has the State nothing better to do?

"This is very embarrasing. Surely they could have just done an on-the-spot fine?"

He decided to strike-out both cases against the woman.

She thanked him for his decision.