Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has said it is clear that the Probation Service continues to provide an effective alternative to custody for the courts.
Mr Shatter was speaking on the publication of the Probation Service Annual Report for 2011.
The report shows a 40% increase in the number of community service orders made compared with 2010.
There was also a 39% increase in the number of community service hours ordered in lieu of custody.
The minister said community service benefits local communities, reduces public expenditure on prison services and requires convicted offenders to make recompense for their crimes.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust also welcomed the increase, but said it remains very concerned at the continuing steep rise in committals to prison of people who fail to pay fines.
It warned that if current trends continue until the end of this year, fine-related committals will be nearly six times as common as in 2007.
