Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether that the system of community services orders is under used; and the steps he will take to promote its use as the default sanction for less serious offences in view of its proven cost-effectiveness when compared to penal sanction. [13060/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I published a Value for Money and Policy Review of the operation of the Community Service Scheme last October. This independent review found that the Scheme was not being used to the extent that it had been in the past. Furthermore, it found that the Community Service Supervisors then employed, operating at full capacity, could provide supervision services to three times as many offenders as were then on Community Service Orders.

Based on this, and other recommendations contained in the review, the Probation Service of my Department is leading the drive to substantially increase the number of persons that could potentially be placed on Community Service.The Probation Service has restructured the delivery of Community Service nationally under the governance of a dedicated Community Service Unit and has designed a new model of Community Service. The implementation of the new model is being piloted in the Dublin area. The pilot is intended to trial and refine the efficiency of operation.

At present the most common non-custodial sanction used by the Courts, who are independent in the exercise of their functions, is the imposition of a fine. As the Deputy will be aware the new Fines Bill is awaiting Second Stage in the Seanad. The Bill makes provision for the use of non-custodial options for the non-payment of fines such as Community Service. This new legislative provision will provide an extension to the use the Courts can make of the Community Service sanction in less serious offence cases.

I should also add that the most recently published Discussion Document of the White Paper on Crime series, 'Criminal Sanctions', will include an examination of the use of non-custodial sanctions generally, such as Community Service. Submissions on this Document have been invited before the end of May and the opinions received will inform future plans.