Should people be jailed for the non-payment of minor fines?

31% YES 69% NO

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Your Reaction

• AFFIRMATIVE. NO PAIN...NO GAIN. THAT RESULTS IN RECIDIVISM! Someone who breaks the law and constantly flaunts the fine(s) cannot be slapped on the back and told: "Ah sure it's ok lad and sent on his/her way." In that case what would be the incentive for paying a fine for a "rules of the road" infraction or other form of anti-social behaviour? Ireland is currently awash with anti-social vermin who realise they can do what they like to anyone or any thing without being apprehended in most cases. And, on the rare occasion they are caught and arrested, they can rest assure they'll get the probation act or a similar slap on the wrist. Government needs to invest in more jails and jail personal in order to give judges the option of sending people with numerous convictions away to do "hard time". Currently judges are reluctant to "gaol the bounders" because they'll be no place to incarcerate them. Fine evaders and murders are both guilty of criminal activity and both offenders should feel the sting of the whip of justice. HOO RAH!
  eddie- the Aggravator  Ireland
• No, it's medieval and ridiculous - it's up there with stoning women for adultery or dunking witches in the river to see if they float. For non-payment of a €160 TV licence, you get 2 weeks at the State's pleasure at a direct cost of €2,000 not to mention clogging up the judicial system. You get to meet all sorts of more professional criminals - and they get to meet you. You get to lose whatever respect you had in the system - you'll see others owing billions still in their helicopters. You get to be exposed to drugs and extreme violence (Ireland had a prison mortality rate in 2009 of 3/1000). When the alternative is to attach an order to your wages or social welfare to repay the fine over a certain period.
  Tim, Ireland  Ireland
• In my view fines are largely just taxes. The government really doesn't want to stop the action they just want the revenue. All those speeding fines for example. And most people know that and are willing to pay the money to do the deed. But people should never be gaoled for not paying tax. Paying taxes should be an entirely voluntary action.
  owen  United States Minor Outlying Islands
• YES. yez. yeez, zzzzzzz
  Jober as a Sudge  Ireland
• the jails being overcrowded I don't think it would be a good idea but why not oblige these people to work for their community : helping children and old people crossing the streets, cleaning the streets and gardens, working in nursing homes, hospitals, ...?
  anne marie  Ireland
• twould,would it not depend full stop for repeat offenders jail and community ,litter pick up, plant a few new trees,clean your public toilets (which are a disgrace to anywan),remove grafitti too and do not ask again pd to ph the judge. above would be practical work, save exchequer expense too, in essence,bit of both,regularly.
  maria syd  Australia
• No, No and again No. Why has it been always so easy to jail offenders who commit minor crimes while the major offenders sail into the sunset to enjoy the fruits of their labours. If all the tossers, shysters and bottom-feeders in our once proud land were behind bars then there wouldn't be any room on the inside for the little people who pay their taxes.
  anto the gael  Western Sahara
• It's deeply galling that ordinary people are jailed for minor offences like these when you see the calibre of some of the people who act as legislators in our so-called "Republic" or you see the ridiculously lenient sentences given to people who commit very serious violent crimes or who live as career criminals leeching from the rest of us. Then of course there are the upstanding white collar criminals and establishment figures who have managed to pull off some of the biggest financial frauds in our history. And their punishments are? Retirement on massive pensions, golf-club Sundays, rotary club meetings, lots of media opportunities to explain away their crimes, and (of course) a nice obituary in the Times when they die. Meanwhile, people who fiddle their pathetic dole money or don't pay a 180 Euro TV licence are in the Joy. What a joke this place is, I hate it. Our country is broken, it's a oligarchy, it's not a Republic. No one has any trust in our main institutions any more, and frankly why the hell should they? The sooner it falls apart the better.
  Shimrod  Ireland
• How much do you have to owe before your let off scot free
  latka gravits  Liberia
• No but the F..F.. eckers who killed our economy should. We nned a health service not fines.
  Donegal Healt Marcher  Ireland