Minister Ahern officially opens the Dublin Offices of the Probation Service

Minister launches the Probation Service Annual Report for 2007

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D., today officially opened the Dublin Offices of the Probation Service in Haymarket, Smithfield, and launched their 2007 Annual Report – a report marking a century of probation in Ireland.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Ahern said: "I would like to congratulate the Director, Michael Donnellan, and all his senior management team on the journey of substantial change and modernisation which has been ongoing for the last number of years in the Probation Service.  This process has been supported by the Government and my Department through the provision of 71 additional staff last year, bringing the total current staff to almost 500 spread across forty locations nationwide with a budget of over €54 million in 2008."

Reflecting on some of the key areas of change Minister Ahern said that the core work of the Service has been examined in a strategic way leading to the realignment of responsibilities into new operational regions so that staff across the country can be more responsive to the client group. The setting up of the Young Persons’ Probation Division to implement the Children Act and to work closely with the Irish Youth Justice Service is a good example of this changed focus as is the examination of the funding relationship with community based organisations who received over €21 million in funding in 2007.

The Minister combined the official opening of the new Haymarket accommodation with the launch of the 2007 Annual Report of the Service. Commenting on the Report, the Minister said: "This Annual Report marks a century of probation service in Ireland. The Service has gone from strength to strength in an ever changing Ireland.  This report gives a good overview of the core work of the Service, namely the assessment and supervision of offenders.  In 2007 alone, close to 9,000 assessment reports were prepared by Service personnel and about 8,000 cases were referred to the Service for supervision."

Concluding, the Minister said "I am confident that the Probation Service will continue to grow and develop bringing its rich heritage of commitment, energy and vision to achieving safer communities."

The Report is available on the Probation Service website at www.probation.ie. Copies of the Report are also available from the Probation Service, Athlumney House, Johnstown, Navan, Co. Meath (046-9090900).

17 September 2008