Ireland has one of the lowest rates of prisoners per capita in EU

Ireland continues to have one of the lowest rates of prisoners per capita in the European Union.

New figures from Eurostat show that since 2000, there were 77 prisoners in Irish jails for every 100,000 of the population.

Finland recorded the lowest rate in the same period at 56 prisoners per 100,000 persons while Lithuania recorded the highest.

Jonathan Claridge of Dublin's European Commission office says the Irish figure remains relatively low compared to the EU average.

"These figures are telling us that Lithuania has the highest prison population per 100,000 inhabitants at about 232," said Mr Claridge.

"Ireland's rate is one-third the level of that and is one of the lowest in the EU at around 77 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants."