Poor box monies totalled €1.5m last year

Almost €400,000 out of a nationwide total of more than €1.5m was paid into Kerry District Court poor boxes last year.

Figures from the Courts Service show €1,533,610 went to charities nationally in lieu of fines or convictions for mostly minor offences across district courts in 2016, a rise of €200,000 on the 2015 figure. Sixty per cent involved road-traffic offences.

Almost one third of the poor box money, amounting to €394,080, was paid in District No 17 in Kerry presided over by Judge James O’Connor. This covers the courts of Killarney, Tralee, Listowel, Kenmare, Cahersiveen/ Killorglin and Dingle.