Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I am glad the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan, is here to listen to this debate because I know he is familiar with the centre about which I wish to speak. I am sure he has visited the Carline Centre for Learning in Lynch's Lane in the Clondalkin-Lucan area. The centre was established some years ago by a nun who works in the area, partly in order to address the problem of joyriding among young people who were not within the mainstream education system and had gone astray. Its work has since expanded beyond that but it is still related to the brief of the Minister of State and of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It provides a service to young people who are not coping within the mainstream education system and may have dropped out. They need help to get back to mainstream education or into work to prevent them getting involved in so-called joyriding or other types of crime. The centre has been very successful and has been praised by many. The school has a waiting list and some of those applying to go there have been referred by agencies after coming out of detention centres etc. Its service is highly regarded.

I understand officials from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform held meetings with the Carline Centre of Learning before Christmas. The centre receives some funding through the health board and from the drugs task force. The Department of Education and Science and the VEC also make some input. However, funding is provided on an ad hoc basis. Every year there seems to be a shortfall in funding and the centre is never sure whether it will be able to maintain the service it provides.

Around Christmas time, the centre had to serve notice on a woodwork teacher and a mechanics teacher. Those would be core subjects in the school. For those at risk of involvement with so-called joyriding learning, mechanics was a very positive experience. They learned very practical skills along with maths, literacy, etc. I hope the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform will consider that this school does work that is very important to its area and its desire to reduce the number of young people who might become involved in crime in future. The learning centre would like a commitment to regular funding from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, which would ensure it could carry out its work without having to cut any of its services.