Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Dec 1997

Vol. 483 No. 6

Written Answers. - Probation and Welfare Service.

Jim Higgins

Question:

35 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of probation officers currently attached to the probation and welfare service; the number of persons referred by the courts to the service for each of the years from 1994 to 1996 and to date in 1997; the average cost of dealing with each case in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21193/97]

Seymour Crawford

Question:

47 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of probation officers currently attached to the probation and welfare service; the number of persons referred by the courts to the service for each of the years from 1994 to 1996 and to date in 1997; the average cost of dealing with each case in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21195/97]

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

69 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of probation officers currently attached to the probation and welfare service; the number of persons referred by the courts to the service for each of the years from 1994 to 1996 and to date in 1997; the average cost of dealing with each case in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21196/97]

P. J. Sheehan

Question:

83 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of probation officers currently attached to the probation and welfare service; the number of persons referred by the courts to the service for each of the years from 1994 to 1996 and to date in 1997; the average cost of dealing with each case in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21194/97]

Liam Burke

Question:

110 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of probation officers currently attached to the probation and welfare service; the number of persons referred by the courts to the service for each of the years from 1994 to 1996 and to date in 1997; the average cost of dealing with each case in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21197/97]

Donal Carey

Question:

116 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of probation officers currently attached to the probation and welfare service; the number of persons referred by the courts to the service for each of the years from 1994 to 1996 and to date in 1997; the average cost of dealing with each case in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21198/97]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 47, 69, 83, 110 and 116 together.

At present, there are 192 probation and welfare officers. The breakdown is as follows: one principal probation and welfare officer; seven assistant principal probation and welfare officers; 36.5 senior probation and welfare officers; 147.5 probation and welfare officers.

The number of persons referred by the courts for each year from 1994-96, and to date in 1997, is as follows:

	1994	1995	1996	(to 30.9.1997) Provisional figures
Pre-sentence Reports	5,647	5,775	6,069	4,962
Probation-type Orders	2,633	2,617	3,089	2,077
Community Service Orders	1,617	1,602	1,386	1,063

The cost of placing an individual on a community service order, which is a direct alternative to imprisonment, is £37 per week or £1,927 per annum. In the case of probation type orders, which includes probation orders and supervision during deferment of sentence, it is much more difficult to estimate a cost per case as the period of supervision varies. In addition, probation-type orders are more labour intensive than community service orders and involve the provision of pre-sentence reports and ongoing supervision. The probation and welfare service deals with the number of cases referred to above within a total annual budget of approximately £12.5 million. This figure includes funding for staff salaries, incidental costs, assistance to voluntary organisations and the costs of running the communty service order scheme.