Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:60. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons in prison for the non-payment of debts or fines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17113/16]
View answerWednesday, 22 June 2016
Questions (60)
Written answers
I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the number of such persons held in prison for the non-payment of fines at any one time is a tiny fraction of the overall prisoner population. To illustrate this point, on 17 June 2016, 3 people or 0.08 percent out of a prison population of 3,795, in custody fell into this category. On the same date there was no person in prison for the non-payment of debts.
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. This system has been in operation since January 2016.