Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 July 2012
568 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons imprisoned for fine default during 2011; the number of persons imprisoned for fine default during the first six months of 2012. [34859/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraA breakdown of the number of prisoners imprisoned for non-payment of fines for the year 2011 and the first six months of 2012 is set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Committals for non-payment of fines |
|
2012 (inclusive of 30th June) |
4,470 |
|
2011 |
7,514 |
*The 2011 figures are provisional pending the publication of the Irish Prison Service Annual Report.
I can advise the Deputy that the number of such persons held in custody at any one time is a tiny fraction of the overall prisoner population. To illustrate this point, on 30th June, 2012 there were 22 prisoners or 0.5 per cent of the prisoners in prison custody who fell into this category.
