Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the arrangements in place for the follow-up on the implementation of community services orders that were given out through the courts in the years 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007; and if an efficiency review has been undertaken. [22389/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983, provides that a Court may make a Community Service Order as an alternative to a sentence of imprisonment or detention in respect of any individual over the age of 16 years who has been convicted of a criminal offence and who consents to the Order being made. As the Deputy will be aware, the Community Service Order requires an offender to perform unpaid work for between 40 and 240 hours, usually to be completed within 12 months. The aim of a Community Service Order is to rehabilitate the offender and make meaningful reparation to the community for his or her crime. Community Service Supervisors work alongside offenders undergoing their community service work. However, the Probation Service of my Department has overall responsibility for the supervision and management of Community Service Orders.

The range of work generally carried out by offenders on Community Service Orders, including 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, cleaning graveyards and work with community groups in groups.

The express purpose of Community Service is to provide benefit at no cost to communities, and indirectly to victims through the work of offenders as reparation. Community Service is widely recognised as a practical and visible embodiment of Restorative Justice principles and offender reparation, in particular.

Community Service projects are identified and established with the assistance and support of local community organisations and interests. There is ongoing communication and consultation by the Probation Service with local communities to maximise the benefits of Community Service.

A key action within the Probation Service Strategy and Workplan is to maximise the benefit of Community Service to local communities by reforming, revitalising and restructuring its delivery. An independent review of the operation of Community Service is currently being completed by consultants to advise on the most appropriate model and structure of the operation of Community Service. Having regards to the commitment in the Programme for Government, I await the findings of that review.