Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for this legislation. I have long been a supporter and advocate of community service orders, which is a relatively new concept in legal history. We must ensure the District Courts use these orders and that not using them is the exception rather than the rule. It is a good system and helps to keep people on the fringes of crime out of the courts system. It gives young people a chance and, because of my political career, my limited experience is that many young people will mend their ways when given a chance rather than a custodial sentence. I recall an incident in which a vessel was boarded by Naval Service officers, who found that someone was illegally fishing salmon. This poor man, who was an ordinary Joe Soap, ended up being wrongfully incarcerated for three months, and when he came out he said to the lads in the local pub, "When I went in I knew nothing about crime, but I have learned a lot. I know how to steal televisions." This guy learned more about crime in prison than he had known previously. He should never have been incarcerated.

I fully support the purpose of this legislation and I hope it will make a significant difference to our legislative approach in dealing with minor offences.