Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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336. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the number of persons imprisoned for the non-payment of fines in 2014 and in 2015 to date; the reason for the delay in implementing the provisions of the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014; the impact this will have on the release of Garda Síochána manpower; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46000/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the number of persons who were imprisoned for non-payment of fines in 2014 was 8,154. The information for 2015 is not currently available.

I can further 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 16 December 2015, 3 people or 0.08 percent out of a prison population of 3,731, in custody fell into this category.

In terms of the Fines (Payments and Recovery) Act 2014 I can inform the Deputy that the Act was signed into law by the President on 16 April 2014. This legislation represents a very significant change in the way justice is administered by the courts. As well as introducing an option for persons to pay fines by instalment, there are also changes in the way those who fail to pay fines are dealt with, as the Act provides a range of options available to judges including recovery orders, attachment of earnings, community service and ultimately imprisonment. It is envisaged that the system will become operational in January 2016.