Call for Community Service Orders for non-payment of fines

The prospect of using Community Service Orders as a means of penalising non-payment of fines was discussed at a meeting of the Longford Local Community Safety Partnership.

The issue was raised by Cllr Gerry Warnock, with Senator Micheál Carrigy saying representations should be made as a review of the legislation governing the matter was under consideration.

Lena Timoney the Regional Manager with The Probation Service gave a presentation to the Local Community Safety Partnership on the role Community Service played in the justice system. Ms Timoney outlined the relationship between the judiciary and the Probation Service.

Cllr Gerry Warnock asked the speaker if there was any mechanism by which Community Service could be imposed on those who did not pay fines. He said repeat offenders in the area of littering were “thumbing their noses” at authority when it came to payment of fines.

Senator Micheál Carrigy recommended that the Local Community Safety Partnership make representations on the expansion of the CSO option. Senator Carrigy said he would put forward proposals to make amendments to the legislation with regard to using the CSO as an alternative to fines.