Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is a very important motion which Deputy O'Callaghan has brought forward. It is something that the public are extremely concerned about. The failings identified in the Garda youth diversion programme and the figures presented make for concerning reading. The review examined 158,521 youth referrals relating to 57,386 individual children which were created on the Garda PULSE system during a period from 25 July 2010 to 28 July 2017. It was found that 7,894 of these referrals had not been appropriately progressed to a conclusion by the Garda. The review shows that the bulk of crimes not progressed were in the areas of public order, theft, traffic and criminal damage. Some 55 serious offences were identified as not being progressed, including rape, sexual assault and child neglect cases. Many of these young offenders who were not progressed through the youth diversion programme subsequently became involved in serious crime.

Unfortunately, this is the latest in a series of issues regarding Garda statistics that has damaged public confidence in the force. There must be consequences for those who commit crime, no matter what age they are. That is what protects our society. We are also failing our children if they are not held to account for their actions. By not doing so, we are allowing young people to follow a track to adult crime and subsequently into the prison system, at which point their chances of rehabilitation and of having normal lives are reduced. By doing so, we are failing society because if we cannot address the issue at child and teenage level, what hope do we have to do so in later life?

In County Tipperary, I have been advocating funding for a Jigsaw project. Unfortunately, we were promised it two and a half years ago and it still has not happened. The objective of a Jigsaw project is to ensure that no young person feels alone, isolated and disconnected from others around them. It is intended to provide vital supports to young people in respect of their mental health by working closely with communities around the country. In recent months, I have come across adolescents who have come to the attention of the Garda for various offences. When one sits down with their parents, one learns that quite a few of them have struggled with their mental health and unfortunately they have not been able to access proper mental health care.

At St. Mary's Health Centre in my home town of Thurles, a mental health service is available in theory. In fact, it merely ticks a box. In reality, it is a shoestring, part-time service that serves no effective purpose. I know one young girl with a mental disorder who could benefit from a course in meditation with experts. This course is available in Cork and Limerick but she cannot access it because she does not live in these counties. This service is not available to those who have a Tipperary address. As far as the Garda is concerned, she is known to the force and is considered to be a risk to commit crime, when in reality she is ill and in need of care that is not available to her.

In a percentage of cases our mental health system is letting young people down and allowing them to drift into a life of crime. Also, there must be more co-operation between An Garda Síochána and Tulsa. Youth diversion programmes are proven to be very successful in reducing reoffending. The State has a responsibility to try to divert children from a path of crime should they commit offences at a young age. Increased illegal drug use is also a major factor in youth crime. Unfortunately, the usage of drugs is ever on the increase in both urban and rural settings.

Eight thousand reported crimes by children should not occur without a targeted and strategic response from the State. Shockingly, 57 of the child offenders referred to have since died, indicating that many of those participating in this programme experienced chaotic lives. There are many causes of youth crime. Therefore, the solutions must be multifaceted. To date, what has been happening is not working.

There must be a significant investigation into the role that mental health issues and the lack of services are playing in this problem. If we do not do that, we are sentencing young people to a life of exclusion and society will face increased crime levels.

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