Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Will the Minister comment on the roll-out of community courts? Is this a priority for the Government? We have seen in other jurisdictions that it is a significant positive factor in contributing to rehabilitation. People who offend up to a certain level in the community face sanction within the community rather than being committed to prison. Levels of recidivism and reoffending by people exiting the current system are high. The system is working against society. Given the considerable amount of low-level crime across communities in this country, the roll-out of community courts would be a positive development.

See this speech in context