Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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588. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department will review of the impact of the Criminal Justice (Community Service) (Amendment) Act 2011 particularly as this relates to the use of short custodial sentences. [7759/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Non-custodial penalties, particularly supervised community sanctions, play a significant and important role in addressing criminality, reducing reoffending and providing a degree of protection to the public. This is supported by Central Statistics Office figures on recidivism.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government 2020 contains a broad range of policies and proposals that represent a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society with a specific commitment to review policy options for prison and penal reform.

Justice Plan 2021 commits to the publication of a Penal Policy Action Plan. As part of this work, a cross-sectoral group which includes the Head of Criminal Justice Policy in my Department, the Director-General of the Irish Prison Service and the Director of the Probation Service, was established last year.

The completion of the review of the Community Service (Amendment) Act 2011 and the use of short custodial sentences forms part of this group’s ongoing work on penal policy. I hope to be in a position to publish a new Penal Policy Plan in the coming period.