Just three people skipped bail in Donegal courts last year.
As a result, €500 in bail money was forfeited to Donegal District Court. Letterkenny District Court reported that no money was forfeited.
The figures, obtained by Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, also reveal that, nationwide, the Irish District court system alone collected almost €170,000 in forfeited bail money. This was a result of 562 people who were before the district courts deciding to skip bail and not turn up in court in 2024. Any forfeited bail money goes back to the Irish exchequer.
Ms Ní Mhurchú emphasised that these figures are for the district court alone and circuit and higher court figures were unavailable to her.
Dublin topped the poll of bail skippers. The Dublin district courts held onto over €80,000 as 334 people skipped bail and didn’t show up for the court dates in 2024. Cork city by comparison only had seven people skip bail in the district court in 2024.
71 people failed to turn up for district court appearances in Wicklow in 2024 and the Bray district court office collected €18,690 in forfeited bail money. 10 people skipped bail in the Cavan district courts in 2024 meaning the court kept over €8,000 euro in bail money. Other district court offices with a relatively high number of people skipping bail in 2024 were Bray (71), Dundalk (32), Trim (26) and Monaghan (13).
Ní Mhurchú said that a cohort of defendants in court, most of them in Dublin, clearly feel like they are above the law.
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