Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

In January 2019, there were 404 staff in the Probation Service. On whether there is sufficient capacity, one very important area that is an expanding responsibility of the Probation Service is the management of community service. There is a process of recruiting community service supervisors. Community service is expanding and, as I understand it, is proving to be extremely effective. However, it has not expanded at the anticipated rate. I expect it to expand further as various issues are ironed out and I will not be surprised if the Probation Service needs additional staff in that respect. I hope that the director of the Probation Service does not take that as an absolute commitment from his Accounting Officer. I am just pointing it out to the committee as an area where we are expanding and the Probation Service is doing this job.