MORE than 50 charitable organisations and community groups have benefited to the tune of €49,000 from the proceeds of the court discretionary fund.
The amount raised this year is €7,000 more than the accumulated funds divided out last year, with 21 more organisations seeing the benefit.
A payment to the court discretionary fund is typically ordered by Judge Patrick Durcan in minor cases, in particular in the case of first offenders. The payment is often ordered in lieu of recording a fine and conviction.
This year’s fund has been divided across 51 local and national organisations, with the largest beneficiary the Bedford Row Family Project Ltd in Limerick, which supports the families of prisoners. The group has received €10,000 from the fund.
St Vincent De Paul services in Clare was the next biggest beneficiary. Ennis received €3,000 from the fund and St Senan’s Kilrush Conference St Vincent De Paul received €2,000.
Four organisations benefited from €1,500 each – the Garda Benevolent Fund, Solicitors Benevolent Fund, Tuamgraney Handball Club and Ennis Scout Group. A number of organisations received funding of €1,000 these include West Clare Family Resource, The Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland Clare, Ennis Community Development Project Traveller Education, District Daycare Centre Clarecastle, Poor Clares Ennis, Doolin Coastal Rescue, Bushypark Treatment Centre, Shannon Family Resource Centre, Corofin Harps Girls, Clare 250 Cancer Centre, Anthony Golden Community Trust, David Flemming (for friends of the O’Brien Column), Youth Helps Youth and the Aleppo Appeal.
Recipients of €500 include Rape Crisis Midwest, Clare Youth Service, The Clare branch of Arthritis Ireland, Safe Home Ireland, Hand in Hand children’s cancer charity, Le Chéile mentoring and youth justice support services, Seeking Vision, Irish Red Cross Clare, Cahercalla Hospice, Clare Haven Services, Pieta House, Clarecare, Samaritans, Doolin Tidy Towns, Support After Crime Services, Irish Deaf Society, Scariff Foróige, Sixmilebridge Camogie Club, Clare and District Soccer League, Killaloe-Ballina Community and Family Resource Centre, Pemba Support Ireland, Clare Crusaders and Adventist Help.
Further organisations to benefit from €250 included Bunratty Search and Rescue, Willow Counselling Centre, Extern Ireland, Centre for Independent Living Ltd, Ciunas Centre CLG and the Tuamgraney Community Weekend.
By Carol Byrne
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.