Kerry judge faces call to keep poor box revenue local

Kerry County Council is seeking a meeting with Judge James O’Connor to discuss the matter.

Of the €1.5 million total paid into the poor box in Irish courts last year, more than a quarter (€394,080) was paid in the Tralee area, where Judge O’Connor presides over the courts.

Moving a successful motion at this month’s council meeting, Cllr Niall Kelleher said the donations gave people a chance to avoid conviction, but regretted that “90 per cent goes to third-world charities overseas”.

He pointed to Kerry’s community support fund as an example of a “fantastic fund” that could benefit from poor box donations.

Cllr Michael Cahill seconded the proposal and suggested that the council’s chairman John Sheahan and chief executive Moira Murrell should meet with Judge O’Connor, “a very solid man”.

Cllr Haill added: “It would be great if we could get a bit more.”