Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 444: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which an assessment has been carried out in to the number of prison spaces currently occupied by persons incarcerated for non-criminal offences; the number of persons if known in respect of whom warrants have been issued and are outstanding in respect of criminal offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31573/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the Deputy is referring to the number of individuals who are in custody for non payment of fines, debtor offences and contempt of court. The numbers of such individuals in custody on 30 September, 2011 is set out in the table below.

It is not possible to provide the information requested on the number of persons in respect of whom warrants have been issued and are outstanding in respect of criminal offences without the manual examination of the numerous records concerned. This would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort which can not be justified in current circumstances where there are other significant demands on resources.

The Deputy will appreciate that in cases involving persons being held in contempt of court, the ongoing detention of the person concerned is a matter for the Courts. Consequently it is not open to me to intervene in this matter. I might also mention that the Fines Act 2010 introduces a number of measures to prevent the automatic imprisonment of fine defaulters. In particular it has provisions dealing with capacity to pay, payment by instalments, recovery by appointment of a receiver and community service in default of payment of a fine. I intend to introduce further measures which will allow recovery by means of attachment of earnings orders.