Dáil debates

Wednesday, 28 May 2008

Other Questions

Youth Diversion Projects.

1:00 pm

Photo of Joe CareyJoe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made in establishing additional youth diversion projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21180/08]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda youth diversion projects are funded by my Department through the Irish youth justice service and administered through the community relations section of the Garda Síochána. These projects are community based, multi-agency crime prevention initiatives which seek to divert young people from becoming involved, or further involved, in anti-social or criminal behaviour by providing suitable activities to facilitate personal development and promote civic responsibility.

The Garda Commissioner regularly brings forward proposals for the establishment of new Garda youth diversion projects. The locations for new projects are selected on the basis of factors such as the level of juvenile crime in the area and the number of young people referred to the local juvenile diversion programme.

The target envisaged under An Agreed Programme for Government for the number of Garda youth diversion projects is 168 by 2012. The interim target of 100 projects by the end of 2007 was achieved, with 29 new projects established that year. The Garda Commissioner indicated that it is anticipated that between 15 and 16 projects will be recommended for establishment each year over the next four years and that applications for 2008 will be forwarded to me later in the year.

Additional resources have been allocated to fund the expansion of these projects with funding set at €11.909 million for 2008 out of a total of €120 million allocated under the National Development Plan 2007-2013.

Photo of Joe CareyJoe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Parents, community leaders, the Garda and project co-ordinators believe these projects are beneficial. The Garda is strongly committed to the principle and practice of youth diversion projects and believes they provide a diversion from criminal activity. The scheme has been 17 years in operation with approximately 100 existing projects and 68 more promised in the programme for Government. Will the Minister agree it is time for a national evaluation of the projects to decide their future direction? Such an evaluation would allow an assessment of how the projects contribute to improving the quality of life in communities and enhance Garda-community relations.

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I concur with the Deputy on the success of these projects. I know from my experience in the Louth constituency that they are beneficial and get gardaí into areas in which perhaps heretofore they were not able to operate. It also allows them to gain the confidence of some young people, but not all unfortunately.

The national youth justice strategy 2008 to 2010 details the plans for the development of complementary programmes to existing ones. The first step is to audit the existing programmes to identify gaps in the system. This will be completed by the end of 2008 when the development of new initiatives will be considered. I expect the review will examine the overall value of existing projects. On an anecdotal basis, it is accepted these have been very beneficial. That the Government has increased the funding is significant. It is accepted this is a good scheme.

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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How many gardaí are operating as juvenile liaison officers? Is the decision for new juvenile diversion schemes that of the Minister or the Garda Commissioner? Whereas I concur with the Minister on the value of these schemes, I am aware of areas seeking approval for such schemes but that have been rejected or have not been selected. Is it not a better use of resources than spending €100,000 per annum to incarcerate a young person in St. Patrick's Institution or elsewhere? Is it not an area that we might well put investment into in the hope of restricting prison to people who have committed crimes with violence? Juvenile offenders would be better off kept in the community doing beneficial work for it.

Photo of Joe CareyJoe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Will the audit on the schemes apply to all projects or just focus on one sample?

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I understand it will be a national audit on the existing projects. If Deputy Rabbitte has any specific issues regarding rejected projects, perhaps he could give me the specific details. I am not sure if the projects have to be ultimately approved by the Minister. The allocation of resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner but I would expect this is done in conjunction with the Department. The ultimate decision would be made by the Garda on the basis of the needs for each division. I do not have the figures for the numbers of gardaí involved in the scheme but I will pass them on to the Deputy.

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Minister probably has it in his file for the reply to Question No. 95.

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I do not have that answer in my file.