Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 271: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people jailed here for not paying their television licence fee each year for the past 30 years; the average length of time spent in jail for not having a licence or for not paying a fine in relation to not having a licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7159/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the information requested is not readily available. Figures for persons jailed for not paying their television licence fee are not available for the past 30 years. However, figures for the last six years are set out in the table below. These figures relate to persons committed to prison for breach of the Broadcasting and Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1988 where a fine or a prison sentence or indeed both may be imposed for not having a television licence.

I can advise the Deputy that whilst the average length of time spent in prison is not readily available, the indications from the Irish Prison Service are that such periods are relatively short in duration. I am informed that the gathering of the specific information requested would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort and could not be justified in current circumstances where there are other significant demands on resources. However, I can advise the Deputy that persons held in custody for these reasons comprise a tiny fraction of the overall prisoner population. To illustrate this point, figures relating to 20 February, 2009 indicate that there was only 1 person in custody for non-payment of fines in relation to not having a television licence.