Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Prison Committals

9:00 pm

Photo of Jim O'KeeffeJim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 648: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons committed to prison for non-payment of fines in each of the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. [1936/10]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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A breakdown of the number of persons committed to prison solely for non-payment of fines for each of the years 2006, 2007, 2008 is set out in the following table:

YearNumber of Persons
20061,089
20071,335
20082,154
2009 (to 31/10/2009)3,366

The complete figure for 2009 will be available once the Annual Report of the Irish Prison Service for that year is finalised.

I can advise the Deputy that the number of such persons held in custody at any one time is a tiny fraction of the overall prisoner population. To illustrate this point, on 15 January, 2010 approximately 0.1 percent of the numbers in prison custody that day fell into this category.

I expect the number of such committals to fall substantially once the Fines Bill 2009 has been enacted.

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