Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Act 2024 makes it clear that grooming children into criminality is not just morally reprehensible, it is also illegal and punishable by law. This sends a strong message to gangs operating in Dublin and elsewhere that their days of hiding behind children with impunity are over. Just as we demand accountability, we are modernising how we monitor impact. Through strategic partnership with the University of Limerick and reforms to the Children Act under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act, we are building a smarter, more effective youth justice system that ensures transparency, evidence and results. Let us be clear in saying that youth criminality is not inevitable. With the right investment, interventions and intent, it is preventable.

I agree with colleagues, especially on sport and youth diversions of all different types. Sport plays a huge role in this regard. I agree with my colleague that the council in our county has a lot of capital and that using some of it to fund recreational spaces would help enormously to facilitate the clubs he been mentioned. There is a huge growth in youth sport, but it needs to be supported by the council.

In Dublin, where urban pressures often heighten the risk, the role of these projects is even more critical and we are backing that support with serious funding. Since 2020, the budget for youth justice measures has risen from €18 million to €33 million in budget 2025. This is not just an increase in funding; it is a statement of intent. It says to every child, parent and community leader that we are on their side. These projects now extend beyond intervention. They reach out to children as young as eight. They engage families, schools, and harder to reach young people. We are also tackling the problem at the root.

I will make a brief comment about the Greentown Project, whose early impact has been described by front-line youth workers in Dublin as transformative. By disrupting the power of criminal networks and replacing coercion with connection, it is giving vulnerable children real alternatives.

We have also taken strong legislative action in this regard. I particularly welcome the inclusion of Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard in the six pilot areas for the joint commissioning process, a collaborative approach that brings services together around the individual needs of at-risk children and their families. This is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. It is tailored, localised and grounded in the belief that with the right support, every child can choose the right path. In Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard, as many of us in this Chamber know, the community has faced difficult and high-profile challenges, but it has also shown tremendous resilience. This Government has listened. Through increased Garda visibility, the expansion of youth services and the continued funding of local youth diversion programmes, we are supporting community-led solutions that foster hope and change.

Myriad supports exist for youth diversion, and that is welcome. Investment has increased, and that is also welcome. However, what is important in the context of this debate is that the Minister and Department listen to youth leaders and youth development workers on the ground who know the challenges that exist, particularly in some critical areas, when it comes to the need to focus and tailor programmes to ensure there is a response to the communities. Every community has different needs and it is also important for the Government to be able respond to those individual needs. As I mentioned in the context of sport, in some communities there is a need to invest in sport. For those harder to reach groups and children, it is also important that supports and youth diversion programmes are available, be they through An Garda or youth work as they are invaluable in that regard. I commend the work that is being done by the Minister and the Department.

I spoke about Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard. They have been spoken about quite often in this Chamber, but it is worth noting that there has been a step change in the approach in those areas and that this is yielding a benefit, especially for young people. I welcome this discussion. It is important to have it, but the follow-up will be important too.

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