Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will make a statement detailing the rationale behind cutting funding to probation services for offenders by 10%. [34626/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Probation Service is an integral part of my Department and through its work in the community and in the prisons, contributes in a significant way to the rehabilitation of offenders. Therefore, I am very pleased to advise the Deputy that the total budget allocated to the Probation Service for 2008 is €64.039 m which is an overall increase of 8% on the 2007 allocation of €59.323m.

I am also pleased to advise the Deputy that there has been a substantial increase of 44% in the budget allocation for Juvenile Offending initiatives. Overall I am satisfied that the combined allocation of the funding for "Services to Offenders" and "Juvenile Offending Initiatives" in the Probation Service budget allocation for 2008 is sufficient to meet the needs of the client group of the Service.