Vol. 486 No. 6
117 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the total number of persons committed to Mountjoy Prison in the years 1996 and 1997; the numbers committed for non-payment of fines; the proportion of the overall figure this presents in each case; the proposals, if any, he has for alternatives to committing persons to jail for non-payment of fines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3121/98]
The total number of committals to Mountjoy Prison in 1996 and 1997 were 5,956 and 6,680 respectively. In 1996, 752 persons or 12.63 per cent of committals were for non-payment of fines and in 1997 the figures were 823 or 12.32 per cent. However, at any one time, the percentage of the prison population in custody for non-payment of fines is approximately 1 per cent.
The imposition of a fine as a penalty in any particular case is, of course, a matter for the courts and it is, I think, worth mentioning that there is an obligation on the courts when imposing a fine to take into account, where possible, the means of the offender.
I am at present considering various proposals for alternatives to custody in relation to the non-payment of fines including a system of attachment of earnings, which I would hope to include in an attachment of earnings Bill. Under such an arrangement the court could order that outstanding fines be deducted from a person's earnings and this could represent a form of payment by instalment. I am not at present in a position to say when the attachment of earnings Bill will be published.
