AROUND one third of people imprisoned in 2007 were non-Irish nationals, according to the latest annual report from the Irish Prison Service.
In 2007, just under 10,000 people (representing 11,934 committals) were sent to prison, mostly under sentencing or on remand. Some 1,249 committals were under immigration law.
Of those sent to jail, just over 66 per cent were Irish nationals. Other EU nationals accounted for around 14 per cent, while Africans and Asians represented around six per cent each. Central/South American nationals accounted for just over three per cent.
The average cost of keeping an offender in custody was €97,700, according to the report.
