asked the Minister for Justice whether he intends to provide the staff and other resources needed to implement the Criminal Justice (Community Service Orders) Act passed by the Oireachtas in July 1983; and if so when.
6.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Community Service Orders Scheme.
5.
asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made in the implementation of the Criminal Justice (Community Service Orders) Act.
7.
asked the Minister for Justice the steps that have been taken so far by his Department in order to institute the procedure of community service orders as an alternative to prison sentences; the number of officers appointed to administer this scheme; and if he will give a report of the progress to date.
(Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 7 inclusive, together.
Consultations with the Department of the Public Service about recruitment of staff for the implementation of the Community Service Orders scheme are in progress. I hope that recruitment of the necessary staff will commence shortly. Work is also in progress on the drafting of regulations under section 14 of the Criminal Justice (Community Service Orders) Act, 1983, and of relevant Court Rules.
I am glad to hear that the Minister is taking action in that area at this stage. Can he tell us when he expects to be in a position to implement these orders for which the House gave him the authority and power?
(Limerick East): When the House gave me the authority and power money was not allocated in the 1983 Estimates which were in large part inherited from my predecessors. The money is allocated now in the 1984 Estimates and as soon as the recruitment of the necessary staff is done there will be no delay in implementing this scheme.
Could I ask the Minister if in the Estimates last year he returned certain moneys at the end of the year and some of the moneys for staff were transferred to equipment instead as an exceptional measure? If I remember correctly he had £7.08 million over at the end of the year. He might agree that the House would have supported him if he had gone ahead with appointing these people at an earlier date. When can we expect to see these orders put into operation? Is the Minister aware that many of the crimes being committed at present are being committed by people who are on holidays from prison because of the overcrowding situation? Will he agree that it is urgent that these measures be put into operation so that that situation can be improved?
He is not here long enough to answer that.
(Limerick East): I agree with the Deputy that this is a matter of urgency. I point out to him that I had the difficulty of inheriting a situation of quite a backlog of necessary action in the Department of Justice.
Is the Minister aware that one of the first actions by the Minister and his Government was a reduction of £6 million in the prison building programme allocation, which was certainly not helpful.
(Limerick East): The prison situation has also improved since the experience under the previous administration.
The Minister did not hear the question.
(Interruptions.)
How many more riots took place in the prisons?