19th June 2009
IPRT welcomes the High Court ruling upholding a constitutional challenge regarding imprisonment of individuals unable to pay their debts.
Caroline McCann, a mother who was sentenced to imprisonment for defaulting on a credit union loan, won her constitutional challenge against the jail sentence in a landmark High Court case.
The Court found that her inability to pay her debts was not only futile in terms of securing a remedy, but imposed unnecessary expense on both the creditor and the state.
IPRT commends the Northside Community Law Centre, FLAC and the Irish Human Rights Commission for bringing forward this case, which has the potential to bring about significant change in Irish law, as recommended in 2008 by the UN Human Rights Committee.
See news item from FLAC.
See related articles in Irish Examiner and Irish Times.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.