Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The probation service has received significant additional funding. The Deputy is right. Just this morning I was speaking to the head of the Probation Service. There is a 57-member panel of prison probation officers. There is also a 53-member panel of probation assistants. That is a new role brought into effect in the last few years to assist our probation officers. This is to try and take the pressure off our Prison Service and to provide, where possible, an alternative to prison for those for whom it is appropriate. With restorative justice there has been a particular focus on looking at other avenues for the Judiciary to use. I believe we need to do more work in that regard, whether it is community service or other types of services, but not specifically on restorative justice.