The Nationalist Party has urged the government to urgently improve the working conditions of probation officers.

In a statement it observed that probation officers have been on industrial action for months, having laboured under an excessive caseload, but the government was not heeding their pleas.  

The probation officers, the PN pointed out, had an important role in the administration of justice and in the reform of the people under their responsibility.

But their caseload had become such that they started suffering burnout and and the quality of their work was at risk of being affected.  

The PN also pointed out that the industrial action was delaying the submission of reports requested by the courts, and court cases were therefore stuck. 

It was ironic that the government was trumpeting planned reforms of the Family Court while failing to resolve an issue that had been pending for months, the party said.    

The statement was signed by Ivan Castillo, shadow minister for social dialogue, Darren Carabott, shadow minister for home affairs and  Karol Aquilina, shadow minister for justice.