Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom beagáinín a rá mar gheall ar Mick O'Dwyer.

Mick O'Dwyer was like a god when I was growing up in County Kerry; he was the greatest of all time. He was so famous that I thought for many years the anti-internment song, "The Men Behind the Wire", was about the Kerry football team. Lots will be said about how he transformed Kerry football and won eight all-Ireland medals, but after being an outstanding minor, he won four all-Ireland medals and had a very long playing career. He is still, as I understand it, the highest scoring Kerry forward in national league history. He also managed Railway Cup teams and the under-21 team. Déanaim comhbhrón ó chroí le John, Karl agus Robbie, lena ghaolta, lena chlann go léir agus lena chairde uile.

GAA and other sporting bodies are the best diversion away from criminal activity. There have been recent meetings in the Department of Justice on following penal reform recommendations. The Irish Penal Reform Trust report in 2014 stated youth diversion projects should be extended to the age of 24 and I hope this will be progressed by the Department. Ireland has the third highest recidivism rate in Europe and recidivism must be attacked. Young people are most likely to change and I have seen it many times over the years. One inspector told me once about a young fella he was convinced would kill someone at some stage. However, work was done with him and he has not been in trouble for years and is a good, upstanding member of the community. The interventions have to be made in education, employment, housing and health. There also has to be some sort of restorative approach that can be of great benefit in turning lives around.

There is currently a pilot in-court accompanying project in conjunction with the University of Limerick. Some 33% of people who attend the Kerry community youth diversion service in the Kerry diocese and Kerry community youth service have a neurodiversity issue, which may not be diagnosed in some cases; either they are not taking medication or there is no proper support.

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