Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 3

Written Answers. - Community Service Supervisors.

David Stanton

Question:

396 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 435 dated 24 October 2000 he will state the number of full-time and part-time community service supervisors employed at present; the location of the three vacancies mentioned; the average number of hours worked by each supervisor; the rate of pay of the supervisors; the overall cost of providing community service supervisors; if he will extend the hours of those working part-time and filling the existing vacancies in this manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25220/00]

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

The current position with regard to the number of community service supervisors employed in either full-time or part-time capacity is as follows:

Number of Posts

Full-time.	Employed.
3	3
Part-time.	Employed.
77	74
Vacancies	3

There are currently three vacancies in the position of community service supervisors and interviews took place to fill one of the vacant posts in the Western Region, Athlone area, on Thursday, 19 October 2000. The position has not been filled as yet. The other two vacant posts are in Dublin and it is expected that interviews for these positions will be held shortly.

In regard to the average number of hours worked by each supervisor, the information is as follows:

	Number of supervisors	Average hours
Athlone	3	20
Castlebar	2	24
	1	16
	1	8
Clonmel	3	18
Carlow	2	23
Cork	6	24
Dublin	3	full-time
	4	32
	16	24
	2	16
Dundalk	1	22
	1	15
Galway	2	20
Kerry	5	17½
Kilkenny	2	17½
Limerick	7	24
Ennis	1	10
Navan	2	24
	1	16
Portlaoise	4	14
Sligo	1	22
	1	18
	2	16
Wexford	5	17
Waterford	2	21

The community service supervisor is currently being paid an hourly rate of £8.36 – this includes the recent increase under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. The overall cost of providing community service supervisors in 1999 was £927,000, which included, retrospective payments made in 1999, dating back to 1997, on foot of an award in the labour relations adjudication for sessional supervisors. It is expected that the cost in 2000 will be in the region of £900,000.

My Department and Probation and Welfare Service management are currently in negotiations with the union representing the community service supervisors in regard to hours of engagement and other relevant matters.