Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta agus tugaim freagra thar cheann an Aire.

The probation and welfare service operates under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It has approximately 430 staff and an annual budget of approximately €45 million. It provides assessments on offenders to the courts and is responsible for the proposal and implementation of community sanctions. It also provides a probation service to prisons. The service funds and works in association with 75 voluntary bodies or projects in the provision of relevant services. The objective of the service is to reduce reoffending and protect the public.

The Village Project was established in 2001 as a pilot project to provide assessments for children between the ages of 12 and 16 years referred by the courts from the Finglas and Ballymun areas. The project was a co-operative venture between the Department of Education and Science and the probation and welfare service. Initially, it was funded under the children at risk fund in the Department of Education and Science. Following a request from the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform commenced funding the project on 1 January 2004. Since 1 January 2004, 21 males and 12 females have been assessed.

The probation and welfare service has the responsibility of establishing and developing day centres under the Children Act 2001 with a view to conducting assessments of juveniles who are on remand within the community and it has indicated its desire for the project to fulfil this role. It may also provide an assessment service to referrals from other relevant State and community-based services when resources allow.

The Village Project's board of directors has been considering the implications of this change of direction for a number of months and now accepts that for the viability of the project and to meet funding obligations, it must change its core objectives and, consequently, the type of service it provides. To meet the needs of the probation and welfare service client group and to replicate the requirements of the day centre order as outlined in the Children Act 2001, the Village Project will require some considerable modification. The project is now focusing on the development of its role as a day centre and delivering services to the clients of the probation and welfare service.

See this speech in context