Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is satisfied that the Probation and Welfare Service is adequately resourced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27333/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that following various reviews of the Probation Service which included the findings of the Expert Group published in 1998 and 1999 together with the Comptroller and Auditor General Report in 2004, a new Director was appointed as Head of the Probation Service in September, 2005 following an open competition. To support the Director and strengthen the management of the Service, a new senior management structure was also put in place comprising 3 Deputy Directors and 2 Assistant Directors.

I can further advise the Deputy, that on foot of a Government Decision dated 18 April, 2007, approving a "Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Package", an additional 71 professional and administrative posts were approved for the Probation Service.

Currently, the approved staffing complement for the Probation Service, including the additional posts referred to above, is 435, which comprises 348 profession and 87 administrative staff. In addition, there are 24 full-time and 49 part-time Community Service Supervisors (State Industrial Employees) who supervise the performance of unpaid work in the community by persons who have been convicted of an offence, for which the appropriate penalty would be an immediate custodial sentence and who has given consent to the Court to impose a Community Service Order.

I can also advise the Deputy that the budget allocation for the Probation Service this year is €59.323 million. Having secured the aforementioned additional posts for the Probation Service earlier this year, I am satisfied that the Service is, at this juncture, adequately resourced both from an authorised staffing numbers and a financial perspective.