Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Before I bring this session to close, Mr. Carroll indicated he was uncertain about the reasons longer sentences are being handed down. Does he believe there are forces in society, for instance, media-led commentary on crime with a small or big C, that influence sentencing? Are these factors influencing judges' disposition towards particular circumstances?

While I cannot remember the name of the programme that preceded the youth diversion programme, one thing it did not have was an association with the Garda. Parents whose children participated in the scheme have expressed the view that the subtext of the programme is a suggestion that their child's involvement in it was an indication that he or she would fall foul of the law without the provision of this support. This amounts to unnecessary labelling. While Garda input is important, it should be part of a natural scenario. The notion behind youth diversion is if the child is not part of the programme, he or she is likely to end up in juvenile court or whatever the case may be. This view is a fair reflection of parental concern about the designation of the scheme. Does Mr. Carroll have a view on that issue and the issue I raised regarding sentencing?