Wicklow court poor box donations fall by more than 31pc in a year
The Wicklow PeopleLocal charities received more than €35,000 from Bray District Court’s poor box last year, despite a significant drop from the record-breaking total distributed in 2024.
Nationally, charities benefited from €1.54 million in poor box donations in 2025, representing a decrease of almost 8pc on the €1.67 million distributed in 2024.
Figures show that €35,642 was paid out to charities and community organisations through the Bray poor box in 2025, compared to €51,967 the previous year. The decline of €16,325 represents a fall of 31 pc.
Despite the reduction, dozens of organisations across Wicklow continued to benefit from court-directed donations, with charities supporting homelessness, addiction services, cancer support, youth work, animal welfare and emergency response among those receiving funding.
The largest recipient was St Vincent de Paul, which received €5,813. Bray Women’s Refuge received €4,000, while The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation and Tiglin Challenge Wicklow each received €1,800.
The poor box is predominantly used by the District Court in less serious criminal matters and can provide an alternative to a conviction in appropriate cases.
A spokesperson for the Courts Service said the option of making a donation to the poor box generally arises where an offence is minor in nature and would not ordinarily attract a custodial sentence.
The spokesperson said public order offences are among the most common matters for which judges utilise the poor box, although it is also used in some first-time minor drug possession cases and certain offences against property.
They added that there are a variety of reasons why judges may decide to direct a defendant towards the poor box rather than imposing a conviction.
These can include situations where a person has no previous convictions, has entered an early guilty plea, or where a conviction could have a disproportionate impact on employment, career prospects or opportunities to work abroad.
However, while Bray’s total fell from the exceptional figures recorded in 2024, local organisations still received substantial support through the scheme during 2025.
The figures also show that Bray distributed considerably more than the €21,600 paid out through the poor box in Wexford during the same period.
The total remained well below the €225,352.95 distributed through Dublin’s Criminal Courts of Justice.
Breakdown of Bray District Court donations for 2025
Arklow Community Action Resource Centre €563
Arklow Family Centre (Daughters of Charity) €300
Bray and North Wicklow Stroke Club €338
Bray Community Addictions Team €1,125
Bray Travellers Community Development Group Ltd €450
Dublin/Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team €300
Irish Rule of Law International €900
Lifeboats Wicklow Fundraising Branch €675
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland €250
Order of Malta (Wicklow Mountains Rescue) €450
The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation €1,800
WAY Project – Wicklow Action for Youth (Foróige) €1,125
Wicklow Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals €450
Wicklow Old Folks Christmas Party €225