Two women who set up an Alzheimer Society of Ireland collection table outside a south Dublin shopping centre without a permit have had the donation money forfeited to the charity.
Bridget McDonagh (53) and Catriona McDonnell (36), both of St Mary’s Park, Dunsink Lane, Finglas, Dublin 11 each pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to holding an unauthorised collection and acting as collectors without a permit at Rosemount Shopping Centre, Marian Road, Rathfarnham, on 8 November, 2024.
Garda Elaine Phelan said she was called after a member of the public, who works with The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, spotted the women collecting even though the charity had no event scheduled in the area.
When Garda Phelan arrived, the women were wearing purple Alzheimer Society branded bibs, had a branded bucket and a table set up, but couldn’t produce a Garda permit. Their details were verified and the bucket, which was “quite heavy” with coins, was seized by Gardaí.
Defence solicitor, Padraig O’Donovan, told the court there had been emails back and forth between the women and the Alzheimer Society about organising a charity coffee morning, and they genuinely believed they were allowed to collect.
He said they hadn’t realised a permit was needed, accepted they were in the wrong, and had always intended the money to go to the Alzheimer Society. The emails showed they had been trying to organise the event through proper channels.
The court heard that Ms McDonnell has a 2010 conviction concerning a false instrument, though no further details were available. Ms McDonagh has no previous convictions.
Judge Áine Clancy ordered the money seized from the collection bucket to be passed on to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.
Describing the case as “a difficult one”, Judge Clancy convicted McDonnell and fined her €350, giving her 12 months to pay.
She granted McDonagh the benefit of the Probation Act under Section 1(1), leaving her without a conviction.