Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 November 2016
150. Deputy John Curran asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons in the Dublin metropolitan west area who were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment; the number who were processed at the prison where they were sent and released on the same day or the following day, by prison, category of crime and length of sentence given, in 2014, 2015 and to date in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34980/16]
View answerI am informed by the Irish Prison Service that the statistics being sought are not readily available. The information is currently being collated and I will respond to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 150 for answer on 15 November 2016, in which you requested the number of persons in the Dublin Metropolitan West area who were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment; the number that were processed at the prison where they were sent and released on the same day or the following day, by prison, category of crime and length of sentence given, in 2014, 2015 and to date in 2016. You will recall that data could not be obtained in the time available, and I undertook tocontact you again this week.
The Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014 was commenced on 11 January 2016 with the new system for the payment and recovery of fines being implemented on that date. Under this Act the law has been radically reformed in relation to the payment and recovery of fines. The Act provides an appropriate response to the problems of the refusal or failure of some people to pay fines and the inappropriateness of imprisonment as the automatic response where this happens. The system that is now in place is logical and proportionate and provides an option for persons to pay fines by instalment along with other changes in the way those who fail to pay fines are dealt with.
The Act provides that:
- Fines will be set at a level that takes into account the person’s financial circumstances;
- All fines over €100 can be paid by instalments with the procedure for this provided for by way of regulation;
- If a person defaults, he or she is brought back to court where the judge first considers making an Attachment Order to a fined person's earnings which does not include attachment to social protection payments;
- If it is not appropriate to make an Attachment Order, the judge can make either a Recovery Order, where the fine is more than €500 or a Community Service Order;
- Where either an Attachment Order or a Recovery Order is made and the fine is still not recovered in full, the court can make a Community Service Order; and Imprisonment will only apply where it is not appropriate to make an Attachment Order, a Recovery Order or a Community Service Order or where a Community Service Order is made and the fined person fails to comply with it.
I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that they do not collate the information in the exact format requested. The prison Service record the data on a county by county basis and the information is provided in that context.
In 2016, up to and including 30th October, the number of persons from County Dublin that were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment was 2,915. Of the 2,915 persons committed, 1,624 persons (accounting for 1,761 committals) were processed at the prison where they were committed and released on the same day or the following day. Of the 1,624 persons, 1,521 were fine defaulters.
In 2015, the number of persons from County Dublin that were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment was 3,205. Of the 3,205 persons committed, 2,069 persons (accounting for 2,227 committals) were processed at the prison where they were committed and released on the same day or the following day. Of the 2,069 persons, 1,859 were fine defaulters.
In 2014, the number of persons from County Dublin that were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment was 3,326. Of the 3,326 persons committed, 1,786 persons (accounting for 1,905 committals) were processed at the prison where they were committed and released on the same day or the following day. Of the 1,786 persons, 1,656 were fine defaulters.
Each person committed to prison for non-payment of a fine is assessed before a decision is taken as to whether or not he or she is to remain in custody or be granted Temporary Release with conditions attached. When making that decision, my officials will consider factors such as the nature of the offence giving rise to the fine, whether or not the person is a first-time offender, whether the person poses a threat to public safety, and the capacity of the prison to take further prisoners on the day ofcommittal.
Table 1 below shows the prison each committal refers to. Tables 2, 3 and 4 show the category of crime and the length of sentence for each committal for 2014, 2015 and 2016. It is important to note that the Committal figure is higher than the number of persons figure, as some persons were committed more than once during the calendar year. Figures for 2016 are provisional.
Tables continuing.
|
Table 1 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Castlerea Prison |
17 |
20 |
13 |
|
Cloverhill Remand Prison |
1 |
8 |
5 |
|
Cork Prison |
5 |
10 |
5 |
|
Limerick Prison (F) |
5 |
8 |
1 |
|
Limerick Prison (M) |
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
Midlands Prison |
64 |
79 |
83 |
|
Mountjoy Prison (F) |
506 |
544 |
440 |
|
Mountjoy Prison (M) |
1205 |
1509 |
1197 |
|
Portlaoise Prison |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
St. Patrick's Institution |
27 |
12 |
3 |
|
Wheatfield Place of Detention |
73 |
34 |
10 |
|
Grand Total |
1905 |
2227 |
1761 |
|
Table 2 - 2014 |
<3 Mths |
3 to <6 Mths |
6 to <12 Mths |
1 to <2 *Yrs |
Grand Total |
|
GP03 Attempts/Threat to Murder |
13 |
6 |
1 |
1* |
21 |
|
GP04 Dangerous or Negligent Acts |
132 |
3 |
1 |
136 |
|
|
GP07 Burglary and Related Offences |
2 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
|
|
GP08 Theft and Related Offences |
98 |
11 |
7 |
118 |
|
|
GP09 Fraud, Deception and Related Offences |
39 |
8 |
2 |
49 |
|
|
GP10 Controlled Drug Offences |
81 |
1 |
1 |
83 |
|
|
GP11 Weapons and Explosives Offences |
9 |
1 |
1 |
11 |
|
|
GP12 Damage to Property and the Environment |
26 |
1 |
3 |
30 |
|
|
GP13 Public Order and Social Code Offences |
167 |
8 |
175 |
||
|
GP14 Road and Traffic Offences |
534 |
26 |
1 |
561 |
|
|
GP15 Offences re Gov, Justice and Organ Crime |
560 |
4 |
563 |
||
|
GP16 Offences Not Elsewhere Classified |
152 |
2 |
154 |
||
|
Grand Total |
1813 |
73 |
18 |
1* |
1905 |
*Person received bail and was released by the Courts
Tables continuing.
|
Table 3 - 2015 |
<3 Mths |
3 to <6 Mths |
6 to <12 Mths |
Grand Total |
|
GP01 Homicide Offences |
0 |
|||
|
GP02 Sexual Offences |
1 |
1 |
||
|
GP03 Attempts/Threat to Murder |
13 |
8 |
1 |
22 |
|
GP04 Dangerous or Negligent Acts |
99 |
12 |
4 |
115 |
|
GP06 Robbery, Extortion and Hijacking Offences |
1 |
1 |
||
|
GP07 Burglary and Related Offences |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
|
GP08 Theft and Related Offences |
91 |
12 |
14 |
117 |
|
GP09 Fraud, Deception and Related Offences |
39 |
1 |
2 |
42 |
|
GP10 Controlled Drug Offences |
79 |
6 |
6 |
91 |
|
GP11 Weapons and Explosives Offences |
5 |
4 |
1 |
10 |
|
GP12 Damage to Property and the Environment |
21 |
1 |
1 |
23 |
|
GP13 Public Order and Social Code Offences |
178 |
3 |
5 |
186 |
|
GP14 Road and Traffic Offences |
582 |
45 |
5 |
632 |
|
GP15 Offences re Gov, Justice and Organ Crime |
831 |
4 |
2 |
837 |
|
GP16 Offences Not Elsewhere Classified |
137 |
2 |
139 |
|
|
Grand Total |
2,078 |
101 |
48 |
2,227 |
|
Table 4 - 2016 |
<3 Mths |
3 to <6 Mths |
6 to <12 Mths |
Grand Total |
|
GP03 Attempts/Threat to Murder |
6 |
9 |
3 |
18 |
|
GP04 Dangerous or Negligent Acts |
65 |
2 |
67 |
|
|
GP07 Burglary and Related Offences |
2 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
|
GP08 Theft and Related Offences |
67 |
8 |
9 |
84 |
|
GP09 Fraud, Deception and Related Offences |
29 |
1 |
2 |
32 |
|
GP10 Controlled Drug Offences |
61 |
2 |
5 |
68 |
|
GP11 Weapons and Explosives Offences |
9 |
1 |
10 |
|
|
GP12 Damage to Property and the Environment |
31 |
2 |
3 |
36 |
|
GP13 Public Order and Social Code Offences |
116 |
3 |
1 |
120 |
|
GP14 Road and Traffic Offences |
381 |
31 |
2 |
414 |
|
GP15 Offences re Gov,Justice and Organ Crime |
780 |
6 |
2 |
788 |
|
GP16 Offences Not Elsewhere Classified |
117 |
1 |
1 |
119 |
|
Grand Total |
1664 |
67 |
30 |
1761 |
