Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 618: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of community service projects that were in operation in 2005; the number of supervisors operating these projects; the number of probation and welfare officers carrying CSO caseloads. [28118/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983 provides for the performance of unpaid work in the community by a person who is 16 years or over, who has been convicted of an offence, for which the appropriate penalty would be an immediate custodial sentence and who has given his/her consent to the Court.

I can advise the Deputy that during 2005 the Probation Service operated 122 Community Service projects throughout the country. The number of Community Service Supervisors employed in the same period was 20 full time officers and 59 part time officers. I can further advise that during the same period 103 Probation Officers were involved with community service clients.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 619: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the distribution of the 595 community service orders by type of community service project and by the duration of the work specified in the order. [28119/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question number 259 of the 17th May, 2006.

As I indicated in that reply, persons the subject of Community Service Orders are engaged on a range of unpaid work for the benefit of the community. I am advised by the Director of the Probation Service that it is possible for a person to be transferred between projects during the course of completing their hours under a community service order and it is therefore not possible to provide the statistics in the manner requested by the Deputy.

As the Deputy is already aware the range of work generally carried out by those on community service includes painting, decorating, landscaping, clearing/maintenance of community facilities (indoor and outdoor) restoration or enhancement of existing facilities such as community centres, youth clubs, grass cutting and cleaning graveyards.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 620: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons on community service orders in 2005 and who completed the full number of hours specified in the order. [28120/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983 provides for the performance of unpaid work in the community by a person who is 16 years or over, who has been convicted of an offence, for which the appropriate penalty would be an immediate custodial sentence and who has given his/her consent to the Court.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the number of community service orders made during 2005 was 1,167. As the Deputy will be aware, section 7(2) of the Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983 allows an offender, in respect of whom a community service order is made, twelve months to complete his/her specified hours beginning on the date an Order was made. During 2005, I can confirm that of the 1,167 orders made a total of 449 persons completed the full number of hours specified in their Order. This figure of 449 does not include situations where orders were carried forward to 2006 or revoked.