A Mum-of-five has made a plea for help today as she faces three days in Mountjoy prison for not paying her TV license.
Suzanne Kane, who is recovering from cancer, called the Niall Boylan show on 4fm today, to express her fear and upset at her troubling situation.
She explained on air: "I'm going to be brought to Mountjoy prison for three days for not paying my TV license.
"They (inspectors) came and I hadn't got a TV license.
"I went to court and the judge said I had to pay my license and I had to pay a fine. "
While Suzanne managed to present her license at court days later, she could not afford to pay the €220 fine.
She went on:
"I don't have it. We've one wage coming in, I don't have any social welfare or anything like that."
The family were hit hard when Suzanne's cancer left her out of work, and she noted to Niall that they are only now "getting back on our feet".
She explained that she tried to reason with inspectors and explain to them that amid all of their money worries, the TV license was "on the backburner."
She continued:
"We don't even have channels. The kids link up the laptop to it (the TV).
When she tried to explain, however, "no-one would listen."
There was a warrant issued for arrest, and Suzanne was given the option to either pay the money or do three days in Mountjoy prison.
At the time of the call, Suzanne was extremely tearful at the impending arrival of police officers, and explained that she had tried everything to produce the funds but repeatedly arrived at dead ends.
During the broadcast, listeners called the show and offered to pay the fine for Suzanne, prompting Niall to remark:
"That's why we're Irish because we help each other."
However, at the end of the call, Suzanne's future remained unclear.
She said: "The kids are coming home, knowing their mam is going to prison, no dinner ready for them, nothing."
Listen to the full interview here:
