Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of males and the number of females who have been committed in the past 12 months for the non-payment of fines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9574/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the number of males committed to prison in the past 12 months for failure to pay a Court ordered fine was 6,197. The corresponding figure for females was 1,682.

However, I can advise the Deputy that the number of such persons held in custody at any one time is a minute fraction of the overall prisoner population. To illustrate this point 22 (0.5%) of the prison population of 4261 on 25 February 2013 fell into this category. I expect the number of committals for non-payment of fines to fall substantially once the Fines Bill 2009 has been enacted and brought into force.