Michael Creed
Question:59 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons in Irish prisons for non-payment of debts in each of the years, 1990 to 1992; and the number of days spent in prison each year by such persons.
Written Answers. - Imprisonment of Debtors.
The numbers of persons committed to prison for failure to comply with a court order to make payments in discharge of a debt for the years 1990, 1991 and 1992 were as follows: 1990, 160; 1991, 196; 1992, 215.
The number of people actually in custody at any time for non-payment of debts represents 1 per cent of the total prison population.
Many of the persons committed under such warrants make payment on, or very shortly after, committal. However, the information sought by the Deputy as to the number of days spent in custody by such persons is not readily available and could not be obtained without an inordinate expenditure of staff time.
I should point out that nobody may be committed to prison merely for non-payment of a debt and committal usually takes place only after all other avenues to enforce the debt have been exhausted. In fact a person may be committed to prison only for failure to comply with a court order to make payments in discharge of a debt, an order which may be made only after examination of means designed to establish that the person can pay. Only those with the capacity to make payment, therefore, may be committed.