Offaly charities boosted by court poor box donations

MANY charities and voluntary groups in Offaly have benefitted as a result of a €175,000 payout from the District Court poor box.

Judge Andrew Cody, judge of the District Courts sitting in Offaly and Laois, has revealed which organisations have been granted funding.

Speaking at the announcement of the court poor box donations for 2024 Judge Cody said: “Most regular attendees at the District Court will be familiar with the basic concept of the court poor box system: a person who has been charged with a minor criminal offence, usually a first-time offender, may be given one chance to avoid a criminal record by making a contribution to charity through the court poor box. There are many reasons such as the offences on the more minor side of the scale, the accused may never previously have been before the courts, the accused may have pleaded guilty, a conviction might be inappropriate, or might adversely affect employment, career or working abroad prospects.”

Judge Cody added: “Typical cases where the court poor box is used include first time possession of a small amount of drugs particularly cannabis or cocaine, breaches of the peace, intoxication, or disorderly conduct in a public place, threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place, or failing to comply with a direction from An Garda Síochána, or minor assaults, and payments to the court poor box are generally less than €500 in each case. The individual amounts can vary substantially depending on ability to pay, other penalties imposed, and the nature of the offences.

“Charities regularly benefit from other payments from court cases being concluded, because as an alternative to using the poor box, judges regularly direct defendants to pay monies directly to a charity and produce a receipt for same. In addition to the funds being allocated from the Court Poor Box, significant amounts have already been donated to specific charities. The amount available has increased significantly and the balance on hand for distribution this year was €175,000. The amount available for distribution in District 15 is significantly higher than other Districts, boosted by court poor box donations arising from prosecutions for drugs offences during the Electric Picnic Festival.

“All donations are lodged centrally to the Courts Service and fully audited, and a full list of all donations by each district is published on the Courts website each year.

“Normally monies paid out of the court poor box are at the discretion of the assigned judge. However, this district is unique in that these funds are allocated by a committee and the allocations are announced publicly.”

The following committee decided unanimously on the distribution of such funds -

Catherine Magnier, Portlaoise Court Office Manager; Robert Hogan, Tullamore Court Office Manager; Inspector Paddy Guinan, An Garda Siochana Tullamore; Inspector Joe Culliton, An Garda Siochana Portlaoise; Emily Mahon, Solicitor Tullamore; Gerry Meagher, Solicitor Portlaoise; Judge Andrew Cody and Judge Nicola Andrews.

Following a meeting in the last two weeks this committee agreed to donate €175,000 from the court poor box.

“The increased resources allowed us to be more generous this year. This arose primarily from the increased donations following prosecutions for possession of drugs arising out of the Electric Picnic Festival. The total this year from Electric Picnic was approximately €100,000,” said the judge.

“We were able to assist small local projects to large international charities such as UNICEF. Most donations are for local well deserving charities and organisations who provide enormous assistance to the communities of Laois and Offaly.

“For addiction services we were able to donate €16,000 to such charities including a donation of €6,000 to Cuain Mhuire. For homeless charities we were able to donate €14,000. For mental health support groups, we were able to donate €13,000. The total for addiction, mental health and homeless charities was €43,000.

“For hospice and cancer support services we were able to donate €18,000.

“International charities will receive €8,000 while local animal welfare charities receive €6,000.

“Children's youth support and school charities received €27,500. Domestic support charities received €6,500. The Lions Clubs received €10,000 and the St Vincent de Paul €16,000. The Midlands Prisoner Support group received €2,000, the Tidy Towns €2,000, benevolent groups €6,000 and Disability Support organisations €10,000. Traveller support groups received €4,000. Finally support for 'older' people received €3,000.”

Organisations wishing to become a beneficiary from the Court Poor Box may apply in writing to their local District Court Office. Any applications received will be brought before the committee, but it is unlikely that there will be a further distribution until this time next year.

The practice of courts directing that money be paid into a court poor box, instead of or in conjunction with another penalty, is a practice which predates the foundation of the State. The practice appears to go back in history and stem from judges’ jurisdiction at common law to exercise discretion in imposing a penalty, if any, and/or imposing other conditions such as donations to the poor box or to a particular charity.

The list in full - 

Addiction services

Cuan Mhuire Athy €6,000

Portlaoise Alcohol and Drugs Service €5,000

Merchants Quay €5,000

Mental health, disability and survivor charities

One in Four €1,000

Grow Community Mental Health Laois/Offaly €1,000

SOSAD Ireland €2,000

Triogue Centre €2,000

Accessible Counselling €5,000

Pieta House €2,000

Hospice and cancer support charities

Irish Cancer Society €2,500

Pat Smullen Cancer Fund €5,000

Clare’s wish - for people that are terminally ill €1,000

Laura Lynn Children's Hospice €2,500

Cushla Centre Portlaoise € 2,000

Offaly Hospice € 2,500

Laois Hospice € 2,500

International charities

UNICEF € 2,000

Surgeon Noonan (Medical aid to sub-Saharan Africa) €2,000

Cara Projects €2,000

Irish Red Cross €2,000

Homeless charities

Threshold €2,000

Focus Ireland €2,000

Capuchin Day Centre €2,000

PATH € 4,000

Midlands Simon Community (Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath) €4,000

Animal welfare charities

Laois Society for The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals Limited € 2,000

Offaly Society for The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals Limited €2,000

My Lovely Horse € 2,000

Children's charities and schools

Jigsaw Laois Offaly €1,000

Kolbe School €1,000

Jack and Jill Foundation €1,000

Saplings Killeshin €10,000

Childline €1,000

Youth Diversion Projects

Acorn Project €2,500

The Loop Partnership €3,500

Sub Project €2,500

Alternative Project (Athy) €2,500

Fusion Project €2,500

Domestic support charities

Laois Domestic Violence support €1,500

Tullamore Rape Crisis Centre €1,500

Anew Support Services - support for pregnant women and new mothers €500

Laois Family Support Services Mountrath (Muriosa Foundation) €1,500

Offaly Domestic Violence support €1,500

Lions Clubs

Portlaoise Lions Club €5,000

Tullamore Lions Club €5,000

St Vincent de Paul

St Vincent de Paul Clara €2,000

St Vincent de Paul Abbeyleix €2,000

St Vincent de Paul Portlaoise €2,000

St Vincent de Paul Birr €2,000

St Vincent de Paul Castletown €2,000

St Vincent de Paul Mountrath €2,000

St Vincent de Paul Stradbally €2,000

St Vincent de Paul Tullamore €2,000

Prisoner support charities

Visitors Centre Midlands Prison €2,000

Traveller support charities

Loais Travellers Action Group €2,000

Offaly Traveller Movement €2,000

Tidy Towns

Portlaoise Tidy Towns €1,000

Tullamore Tidy Towns €1,000

Sports clubs, 'sheds' and youth clubs

Portlaoise Men’s Shed €1,000

Portarlingon Women’s Shed €1,000

Portlaoise Women’s Shed €1,000

Mucklagh Playground Committee €1,000

Park Ratheniska GAA Club €1,000

Brownies Ferbane €500

Carlow Special Olympics €500

Panthers Basketball Club Portlaoise €500

Laois Sports Partnership €500

Mountmellick Youth Development Committee €1,000

Portlaoise Scouts €1,000

Tullamore Boxing Club €1,500

Portlaoise Boxing Club €1,500

Benevolent organisations

Cara Curley Foundation €500

Portlaoise Parish Centre €500

Little Blue Heroes €500

Solicitors Benevolent Association €500

Garda Benevolent Fund €500

Bar Benevolent Fund €500

Ashling Murphy Foundation €3,000

Search and recovery charity

Offaly Search & Recovery CLG €1,000

Disability support organisations

Irish Guide Dogs €1,000

Laochra Laoise - Special Olympics Ireland €1,000

Embrace FARM €1,000

Irish Wheelchair Association - Tullamore Branch €1,000

The Parkinson’s Association of Ireland (East Midlands Section) €1,000

LOAF Laois Offaly Autism Support €1,000

Cystic Fibrosis €1,000

Debra Ireland €1,000

Down Syndrome (Offaly Branch) €1,000

Down Syndrome (Laois Branch) €1,000

Support for older people

Portlaoise Old People's Association €1,000

Tullamore Active Retirement Association €1,000

Meals on Wheels Edenderry €1,000