Jailed over fines - System must be changed

FIGURES provided to the Dáil reveal that 5,400 people have been sent to jail this year for not paying fines.

At a time when our prisons are utterly overcrowded, this seems bizarre and wasteful.

People jailed for the non-payment of fines accounted for two out of five — 39% — of all committals last year. This situation has been recognised and legislation was finalised 16 months ago to resolve the issue.