Judges in Kerry have been praised for not allowing convicted motorists avoid penalty points via the poor box.
In some criminal prosecutions, a judge can order the defendant to donate money to a charity of the court’s choice, instead of getting a conviction and being fined or imprisoned.
The High Court ruled in 2014 that judges did not have discretion to allow donations to the poor box in lieu of penalty points.
However, Department of Justice figures provided to Deputy Michael Murphy show that 459 drivers had their charges dismissed or struck out since 2022 after making a financial contribution.
Kerry is one of the few districts where the practice has been stamped out.
The chairperson of the Road Safety Group PARC, Susan Gray, says others need to follow suit:
