Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for the opportunity to discuss efforts to divert young people from criminal offences and criminal activities. This is an issue of fundamental importance. It is very clear from the contributions both today and yesterday that this issue moves and impassions many Deputies across the House. All of us will agree that we must continue to provide opportunities for young people to contribute to society in a productive and meaningful way. This will benefit both the well-being of our young people as well as society in the overall context. The variety of contributions from Deputies not only shows the passion there is for this area but that they also had expertise and experiences themselves before they entered and indeed have gained some since entering the House. We have heard from now-elected TDs who are legal experts, who were involved in various football clubs and GAA clubs and who worked previously in home-school liaison services as youth workers and social workers. It is really useful for us to have that level of expertise in this House, for it to be shared on the floor of the Dáil and for it to be used to help to shape our strategies.

Those of us who contributed to this debate did so with the very best motives. We all have that shared interest. It makes it clear that we need a whole-of-government approach. Things like sports clubs, youth cafes, education and social media all fall under the remit of different Departments, which is why the whole-of-government approach is so important. We must be mindful of the fact that a multifaceted and agile approach is needed to support young people who may come to rely on the State for help. Of course, diverting young people away from crime is vital. However, it is important to address what the State can do when individuals do engage in criminal activity and are detected by An Garda Siochána. That is why we must continue to deliver restorative justice. This was mentioned a number of times today and yesterday.

At its core, restorative justice aims to enable all those affected by an offence to participate in repairing the harm done and to find a positive way forward. The Probation Service delivers restorative justice directly and through several community-based organisations that receive referrals at specific points in the criminal justice process. The service currently provides funding to five community-based organisations to provide dedicated restorative justice programmes. In Budget 2025, the Probation Service received an additional €4 million aimed at expanding crime diversion programmes. Its total budget is now over €60 million. This money supports step-down facilities, restorative justice and community-based alternatives to imprisonment. These are all part of where that money is being spent. The Minister intends to set out a roadmap with a view to increasing the uptake and availability of community service orders, which will further contribute to the provision of non-custodial sanctions.

In devising our approach to diversion, we must remember that no two young people are the same so the services we provide must be tailored to different needs. That is why a core principle of the Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 involves embedding a multidisciplinary approach. The Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, opened this debate by outlining some of the work being done to progress the youth justice strategy. I will not repeat what he said, but I will discuss the strategy more generally to highlight the Government’s vision of youth justice.

The Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 provides a framework to address key ongoing challenges as well as new and emerging issues in the youth justice area. The focus of the strategy is very much on children in contact with the justice system but it also examines more closely why a proportion of young offenders go on to become adult offenders and how this can be better addressed. The strategy examines how youth justice policy might be more closely aligned to other child and youth policies and towards the promotion of community and local development. This approach echoes the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act, which the Minister commenced this week. It is important to understand how the strategy is being delivered so that we can change our approach if needed. This is especially the case given the strategy is now at its mid point. It is the perfect time to have this debate and see what feedback can be taken on board. I understand that feedback has been sought from all stakeholders on what has worked well so far and on future priorities for the strategy’s implementation. Once this feedback is received and evaluated, we will ensure that the strategy is as responsive and adaptable as can be to meet the needs of young people across the country.

I commend the great work done by youth diversion projects, YDPs, around the country. YDPs are critical to how we connect with young people. Youth workers attached to YDPs can and do change lives every day across the country. The impact they have on young people cannot be overstated, and I am sure every Deputy is aware of the great work done by youth workers in their constituencies. It was great to hear people place on the record some really positive experiences regarding youth workers and community gardaí and the success of youth development projects in their constituencies. In 2023, an evaluation of youth development projects was published. This evaluation confirms the vital role youth workers play in bringing the youth justice strategy to life. This evaluation acknowledged a great many positives, including a strong alignment between the youth justice policy and the objectives of individual YDPs. The people working in YDPs were found to be experienced and highly qualified. They reported strong levels of satisfaction in their work. This is brilliant because their work is so important. Key relationships such as those between youth justice workers and juvenile liaison officers are strong across the board and it is positive to see this being the case. The report also found that the range of interventions offered by YDPs continues to be responsive to the diverse and complex needs of individuals, their families and local communities.

In short, we know that diversion works. The Minister of State, Deputy Collins, provided statistics that back this up, but we have also heard and know in our own constituencies about the lived experience of people who avail of these services and go down different paths as a result. I encourage all Deputies to continue to support their local YDPs and youth workers. The Government will be resolute in its support of YDPs. Two new YDPs have been commissioned in east Clare and north Tipperary. When these projects are fully open, which should be by the end of this year, we will have achieved full nationwide coverage of our youth diversion programme. This means that any child in the country who needs to avail of these services will be able to do so. This expansion has occurred in the context of and has been enabled by, substantial funding increases. Deputy Currie alluded to that earlier. Youth services were allocated €18 million in 2020. Since then, the amount has doubled. It was allocated just over €36 million in Budget 2025.

As well as increasing the footprint of YDPs around the country, this funding is increasing opportunities to access services. Making use of the increased funding, services can open at weekends and late at night. This was a recommendation not just of the YDPs but feedback from those accessing the services.

We all want our communities to be safe places that provide young people with avenues to realise their potential. Youth justice interventions contribute to this environment. Youth justice is not a way around punishment or consequences. It is about redirecting that young people who may stray from the proper path. Most young people simply need support and direction to put their lives on the right track. We know that young people can make better life decisions when given the chance. I strongly believe that improving outcomes for young people at risk of a life of criminality can make a real and long-term difference to the quality of life of these young people, their families and the entire community.

We know that diversion is working. We know how to make improvements in the system and we will invest in those improvements. This Government, through the ongoing work of Minister and Minister of State, Deputy Collins, will resource and support interventions designed to improve the lives of our young people. I look forward to the continued implementation of the youth justice strategy, seeing that feedback we all had here brought to life and the development of a subsequent strategy to build on the successes we have already achieved.

Deputy Coppinger said that parents and teachers are no match for social media companies. That is an interesting point. She went on to talk about that culture of toxic masculinity that, thankfully, is predominantly online and that we know is being spearheaded by particular individuals. She sought a response in terms of an education campaign for that. That is a very worthwhile suggestion. I will take it back to the relevant Minister.

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