OVER 560 PEOPLE skipped bail in Ireland’s district courts last year, new figures have revealed.

Irish District Courts collected almost €170,000 in forfeited bail money after people were granted bail but later failed to appear before a judge last year.

The new figures were obtained by Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Murchú who claims they represent a need for government to act quickly on its commitment to carrying out bail reforms.

A total of 562 people were granted bail and did not return to court last year, in an action known as bail skipping or jumping. When bail is ‘forfeited’ after a no-show, a financial penalty is placed on the person, which is used as public money.

In Dublin last year, a total of 334 people were granted bail and failed to appear for their next court date. It was the highest jumping rate in the county.

Wicklow and Louth District Courts followed, with 71 and 32 people skipping bail, respectively.

Other district courts saw lower levels of bail skipping, such as Meath (26) and Monaghan (13). Ten people skipped bail at district courts in Cavan, with judges collecting over €8,700 in penalties. 

If a person facing trial does not appear before a judge after being granted bail, a court can issue a bench warrant for their arrest. Conditions of bail typically include a necessity for the accused to appear before a judge again at a later date. 

Reforms to the bail system are needed, however, the government has said, and TDs plan to tackle the issue over time coming months.

While skipping rates have dropped – with the district courts recording 717 cases in 2022 – it was revealed in March that over 40,000 crimes were allegedly carried out last year by people who were on bail at the time.

Following that, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan voiced support for the withholding of bail for those accused of violent crimes.

But bail could be used more frequently in the near future with new technology that makes it easier to trace people facing trial and place stricter conditions on them.

O’Callaghan has promised that electronic ankle monitors will be implemented in the next 12 months. The Irish Prison Service hopes it will cut down on the level of people on remand in their facilities.

Ní Murchú welcomed the fall in the level of people skipping bail but said that the figures released to her today shows some people “feel like they are above the law”.

“This seems to be an acute issue in the Dublin district courts,” the Ireland South MEP said.