Government considers giving ‘double fine’ option to motorists who miss fine deadline

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald will tomorrow propose giving motorists who miss fine deadlines the option of paying a “double fine” to avoid appearing in court, the Irish Independent reports.

She is expected to bring a memo to Cabinet proposing that the Government implements the recommendation made by the Criminal Justice Working Group.

Motorists who fail to pay a fine within the required 56 days would be given the double fine option to avoid having to appear in court.

The measure is designed to slash the number of motorists who miss their deadline and then tell the Irish courts that they did not receive the original fixed-penalty notice.

Around 7,500 cases are dismissed every year on this basis, the Courts Service of Ireland has estimated.