Garret Kelleher (Fine Gael)

Gabhaim buíochas le gach éinne as ucht na scéalta atá cloiste againn istigh anseo. Like my colleague, Deputy Butterly, I also have concerns about the use of counselling notes. That was excellently articulated by the courageous contribution of Ms Behan, and also by Dr. Leahy. One of the quotations that Ms Behan gave in her evidence about somebody who felt stripped bare in court not by the attacker, but by the system she turned to for help is a strong statement of how we should approach legislating around the aspects of head 19.

I wish to focus on head 25 and the contribution made by Ms Brady and to ask a little bit more about the community service orders. Ms Brady mentioned in her opening statement about where CSOs are used ineffectively, they can have low completion rates and while they do address recidivism that has to be done in conjunction with adequate supports, services and employment. Will Ms Brady elaborate a little bit further with specific reference to recidivism given the overpopulation in prisons at the moment? What are rates of reoffending for people who have been through community service orders as opposed to those who have received custodial sentences?