Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Geiran for the presentation. It was really comprehensive. We are getting a greater understanding of the number of different agencies and services that are there and integrating into each other in this area. Community service is something we constantly put forward as a much better alternative to prison in terms of the damage done and the cost. I note the points Mr. Geiran made about why the numbers might have decreased. Is the option of community service available nationally? Are there areas where the judges do not use it so the facility to take it up is not really there and there is difficulty in getting useful community labour or employment for the person?

Is it a seamless set-up in all areas where the services are there? If a judge sentences somebody, is there a ready and useful project into which the person can be integrated?

The next question might make me sound really stupid. With regard to the national spread of the 400 staff, does a probation officer require a social work background or are they people with good life experience? Who would be a probation officer and what is that person's educational background or experience? Are we dealing with young people or people from the communities? Is it a mix? It is a good number but I would say more are needed. The issue in prisons is something I would like to explore a little. The service has people in every prison but how many people are there and are they in the prison all the time? If I am a probation officer in the Dóchas Centre, is it my only job or am I only there for a couple of days? It is my understanding that people want to access the Probation Service but they cannot necessarily do so. Ideally, the first day somebody is in prison, he or she should be able to have access to a probation officer. My understanding is people are often told by prison authorities that they are not long enough into a sentence and they do not need an officer. Such prisoners should be worked with from very early. Will the witnesses comment on that?

The next question relates to restorative justice. How many people would have been put through those programmes? I like the point made that we should not be waiting on legislation. It is great that there have been some programmes but they are probably under-advertised. Their success is probably not well known but all the studies show the really positive impact they have. It is great to see them up and running so is there anything more we can do in that regard?

It is critical to work with people post-release and whereas they obviously need the greatest support if they have a drug problem, they also need employment and housing. The Irish Prison Service has told us it has a protocol with the city and county managers with regard to housing. Where are we in delivering employment opportunities? Before the recruitment ban in the public service, we could have got a fellow into the council or as a porter in a hospital. That has gone so we need an alternative public source of employment for people coming out. Where are we with that?