Vol. 482 No. 6
365 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people who were committed to prison for non-payment of debts for each of the years from 1993 to 1996; and his views on other sanctions, such as the imposition of community service, as an alternative to the imprisonment of debtors. [18684/97]
The number of persons committed to prison for non-payment of debts in the years from 1993 to 1996 was as follows: 1993 - 234; 1994 - 240; 1995 - 220; and 1996 - 203.
The Deputy will be aware that where a person is committed to prison because of failure to pay a debt that person is in fact committed for failure, through wilful default or culpable neglect, to obey an order of the court. Before the court would make such an order, it would have to go through an extensive procedure before making an instalment order and finally a committal order sending the person to prison. This is a mechanism for enforcing the court's instalment order.
It is estimated that debtors comprise less than 0.5 per cent of the prison population on any one day.
My Department is examining the question of employing options other than imprisonment in the case of fine defaulters and debtors. It would, of course, be necessary to ensure that any alternatives to custody which might be introduced would secure compliance with court orders relating to debt.
