Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

As the Deputy is aware, crime levels in particular areas are influenced by a range of issues and a community court would not provide a panacea in the context of dealing with the various difficulties which exist in such areas. We are engaged in a number of different pilot schemes. I share the Deputy's view that too many people currently within our prisons are serving very short sentences. These individuals pose no risk to the community and would be better dealt with through the community service order system. That is why we introduced the legislation that was enacted last July. Those to whom I refer could be assisted through the restorative justice schemes. There is a need for in-built programmes to deal with both drug and alcohol abuse. There is no point in individuals serving a few short weeks in jail and then returning to the outside world with the addictions which led them to become involved in criminality in the first instance.

As the Deputy may be aware, in the address I delivered to the Irish Penal Reform Trust last year I made a commitment to develop workable alternatives to custody which promote a balanced but targeted rehabilitation of offenders. Since coming to office I have prioritised a number of initiatives, including the development of a national anti-crime strategy, which is currently at an advanced stage. The Deputy may also be aware that we are operating a pilot scheme to which I referred previously in the House, whereby prisoners who are serving sentences within the prison system, who are of good behaviour and who pose no risk to the community but who have not yet reached the stage where they are eligible for remission may be released subject to their signing an agreement and condition that they do community service. I am advised that this scheme is working well. I hope we will have an opportunity to extend it in the future.

See this speech in context