Richard Bruton
Question:163 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice the proportion of persons who were committed to jail for non-payment of fines; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Imprisonment for Non-Payment of Fines.
During 1988, the last complete year for which figures are at present available, a total of 1,041 persons were committed to prison for non-payment of fines. While this represents approximately 27 per cent of the total number of committals to prison during that year, persons in this category occupy only about 1 per cent of prison places, on an annualised basis, as, almost invariably, they serve very short sentences.