asked the Minister for Justice the total number of persons who have undertaken community work by way of Community Service Orders in each of the years since the legislation providing for Community Service Orders came into force; the nature of the work so undertaken in each of those years; in respect of each year the number of those required to undertake community work who were so required upon conviction for drunken driving under the Road Traffic Acts or for other such offences under the said Acts involving excessive consumption of alcohol.
Written Answers. - Community Service Orders.
61.
The Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983 was brought into effect by Ministerial Order on 5 December, 1984.
The total numbers of persons in respect of whom orders were made in each year since 1984 were as follows: 698 in 1985; 966 in 1986; 918 in 1987; and 724 up to 31 July 1988.
A wide range of activities has been undertaken for the benefit of various groups in the community including, for example, construction work for the physically handicapped, painting and decorating work in hostels for homeless men and in various social centres, preparing meals in day centres, landscaping grounds, maintaining and cleaning church grounds and graveyards, assisting tidy towns committees, assisting swimming classes for the handicapped.
The number of persons in respect of whom community service orders were made for drunken driving or other such offences under the Road Traffic Acts was as follows:
4 in 1985, 8 in 1986, 8 in 1987 and 21 up to 31 July 1988.