THE “POOR BOX” in Ireland’s courts handed out just over €1.54m to Irish charities last year.

The Poor Box is predominantly used by the District Courts who deal with criminal offences of a less serious nature, a spokesman for the Courts Service said.

The amounts contributed to the fund can “vary substantially” depending on the offender’s ability to pay, other penalties imposed, and the nature of the offences. The fund exists as a means of helping largely first-time offenders avoid a conviction for more minor, non-violent offences.

Public order offences are the most common offences for which the poor box option is given to defendants – these offences encompass disorderly behaviour in a public place, failure to follow direction from gardaí, and intoxication, among others. 

Figures due to be published tomorrow show payments from the Court Poor Box were made to hundreds of charities across every county. 

They range from small, one-off amounts to sums of over €75,000.

Organisations dealing with addiction, poverty, homelessness, women’s safety, medical services, hospice care and mental health have all benefited from the dispersal of the fund.

Of these charities, Chapters of St Vincent de Paul received almost €100,000, the Little Blue Heroes Foundation received €76,000, Pieta House €63,500, and Merchant’s Quay Project €28,470.

A number of community-focused organisations like local men’s sheds, sports clubs, scouts, and tidy towns received smaller contributions.

Thirty-two payments were made to various cancer charities.