Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made to date with regard to implementation of those sections of the Programme for Government under the headings community payback, parental responsibility and anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46732/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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A 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 bring about meaningful reparation to the community for his or her crime. The Probation Service of my Department has responsibility for the supervision and management of these orders.

The Programme for Government provides for a community pay back scheme. It is intended that this will build on the community service scheme, which is currently the subject of a value for money and policy review by an independent evaluator. The review, which is nearing completion, will influence how best to progress this aspect of the Programme for Government.

The Children Act 2001, as amended, provides for a number of measures in relation to parental responsibility in respect of children involved in anti-social behaviour and children found guilty of offences. The imposition of any particular sanction provided for by the Act on the parents or guardians of an offending child is a matter for the courts. The National Youth Justice Strategy 2008-2010 provides for the monitoring of the use of the anti-social behaviour measures in the Act. This will be progressed during the term of the Strategy in the context of the commitment in the Programme for Government.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a priority for both An Garda Síochána and my Department. The commitments relating to such behaviour in the Programme for Government were intended to be implemented over the lifetime of the Government and are currently being addressed with a view to their implementation, in co-operation with other Departments and agencies as necessary, within that time period, in the context of the resources available.