Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The point of my amendment is to give greater prominence to community service because the State, after the Bill is passed, will still not make enough use of community service. I have outlined many of the merits of community service, but with regard to people who can afford to pay fines of any size, the State should consider making community service compulsory to drag them kicking and screaming into the real world. Many people who make a good deal of money and have no problem with paying fines have never dirtied their hands in the real world and it would not do them any harm to do so.

Second, recovery orders should not be included in the Bill. That is a destructive way of operating. More often than not, the people who cannot pay their fines are the ones who cannot afford to pay them. Going to their houses and removing belongings from them is counter-productive and the Minister is making them poorer. If I cannot pay a fine because I do not have enough money, I would rather go to prison than have the sheriff come and empty my house. That is a choice I would take if I had it. I reiterate that I would like to see greater use of community service. We are way behind the European average in its use and will remain so if the Bill is passed in this manner. Also, I would like to see recovery orders removed from the Bill.

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