St Vincent de Paul to benefit from court poor box

THE Society of St Vincent de Paul is to benefit again this year from proceeds to the tune of €5,000 from the county’s district court poor box.

The total yield of the fund this year has dropped to €10,000 from €13,050 in 2009, while in 2008 the court poor box took in €26,000.
Judge Joseph Mangan, the presiding district court judge, recently issued the donations to a number of charities, with the majority of the funds going to The Society of St Vincent de Paul. 
The include Cahercalla Hospice and the Samaritans ,each receiving donations of €1,000 from the fund.
ClareCare and Bushy Park Treatment Centre will each receive €500, the Clare branch of Arthritis Ireland will receive €300, while Clare Haven, St Joseph’s Training Centre, The Red Cross, Kilkee Marine Search and Rescue, Doolin Search and Rescue, Killaloe/Ballina Search and Rescue and Home Share Clare will benefit from donations of €200.
Further donations of €100 have been issued to Seeking Vision, Obair and Social Inclusion Initiatives.
The court poor box is an option open to the court in dealing with minor crimes. In particular circumstances, the district court judge can offer a defendant who is a first-time offender of a minor crime the chance to give a donation to the poor box rather than imposing a fine. This option means that while it serves as punishment for the crime, it does not necessarily result in a criminal conviction. In some instances, a donation to the poor box is used in conjunction with the Probation of Offenders Act 1907.