Jim O'Keeffe
Question:51 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice the number of people committed to prison for non-payment of debt for the years 1990, 1991 and 1992 respectively.
Written Answers. - Imprisonment of Debtors.
The number of persons committed to prison for failure to comply with a court order to make payments in discharge of civil debt for the years 1990, 1991 and 1992 were as follows: 1990, 160; 1991, 196; 1992, 215.
I must point out that on any given day the number of persons in custody on warrants relating to civil debts represents less than 0.5 per cent of the prison population. Many of the persons committed under such warrants make payment either on, or very shortly after, committal.