Nearly 7,000 jailed for not paying fines

NEARLY 7,000 people were sent to jail for non-payment of fines last year.

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) described the situation as “ludicrous” given the worsening overcrowding crisis in the prison system.

Speaking at the POA annual conference in Kilkenny, president Stephen Delaney said the Prison Service had a “stack ’em and rack ’em” policy, involving doubling up of more and more cells.