Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Apr 1991

Vol. 407 No. 5

Written Answers. - Community Service Orders.

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

52 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline the number of community service orders issued by the courts in the Dublin area in 1990; the number of such orders actually completed; the sanctions imposed where orders were not completed; the instances where a sanction was not imposed; and if he will further outline this information for the Bridewell district of Dublin city.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Burke)

There were 685 community service orders made by the courts in the Dublin area during 1990. A total of 485 orders were completed during 1990, a number of these would have commenced in 1989.

During 1990, 161 summonses were issued in respect of orders which had not been completed, some of these orders would have been made in 1989. The following is a breakdown of the outcome of these summonses: 60 orders were revoked and a sentence of imprisonment-detention imposed; in the case of 35 orders, on hearing the evidence the court decided to allow the order to continue, or revoked the order due to changed circumstances, or imposed a fine; 35 summonses were not served as the whereabouts of the persons concerned was not known; in 31 cases warrants were issued following the summons being served and failure of the person concerned to put in an appearance in court.

It is not possible to give particulars in relation to specific Garda districts as the statistics are not compiled in this manner.