Vol. 558 No. 2
73 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will take action to resolve the ongoing disruption to the District Court in County Clare due to the shortage of probation officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23636/02]
I am aware that there have been some difficulties in the provision of services to the District Court in County Clare by the probation and welfare service. I understand that the probation and welfare officer covering the district court became unavailable for duty due to sick leave in August 2001 and it subsequently became clear that the period of sick leave would be longer than anticipated. Unfortunately, constraints on probation and welfare service staff resources were such that even a temporary replacement could not be provided. Given these special circumstances, the personnel section of my Department agreed in April 2002 to place an advertisement for the recruitment of a locum in The Clare Champion. That competition did not yield any suitable candidate.
The probation and welfare service subsequently put in place an interim arrangement using staff from adjacent areas in order to provide a service to the courts in County Clare. This temporary arrangement, providing five-day cover, has now been partially reduced with the return from sick leave of the assigned probation and welfare officer, who currently attends two days per week. The service in County Clare is the equivalent of one probation and welfare officer and is consistent with the allocation of staff in other District Court areas. I am assured by the service that both the assistant principal probation and welfare officer and the senior probation and welfare officer for the region continue to be available to meet the judge, at his convenience, to discuss the matter.
Question No. 74 answered with Question No. 63.
