40 people jailed every day for failing to pay fines or debts
29/06/2004 - 07:51:53An average of 40 mostly poor people are reportedly jailed in Ireland every day for failing to pay fines or civil debts.
Reports this morning said more than 5,000 people, many of them social welfare recipients, had been imprisoned for these reasons since the Government promised to overhaul the system five years ago.
In 1998, then Justice Minister John O’Donoghue promised to fast-track legislation dealing with how fine defaulters are punished.
Two years ago, current Justice Minister Michael McDowell also welcomed a report saying that prison should be a last resort in such cases.
However, this morning’s reports said the Department of Justice had admitted that it still has no timetable for introducing legislation to change the current system.
