Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. We have a very strong track record with regard to the youth justice strategy and youth diversion projects. They make absolute sense. It is proven that people are more likely to take risks when they are younger and more likely to want to please their peers. Neurologically that is proven. When they get older that likelihood drops steeply. We want to avoid detention as much as possible. However, the figures show that those between 18 and 24 years are disproportionately represented in prisons. They account for 20% of the prison population compared with 9% of the general population.

There is widespread support for extending youth diversion projects to 24-year-olds. In Blanchardstown, Foróige offers services to all groups in our youth work strategy from eight to 24 years, including family support. Those services are brilliant and the youth workers we have in Dublin west are incredible. However, we also want the public to have confidence in our youth justice strategy. From knocking on doors and being on the ground, I can say there is concern about lower level youth crime, persistent anti-social behaviour and a perceived lack of consequences for youth offenders. That is across the board in Dublin west.

Youth workers have told me they have never felt more under pressure. I have looked at the figures and they concern me. In the past five years, funding for our 23 Dublin Garda youth diversion projects has increased by a massive 143% but the number of participants has only increased by 11%. Funding stood at €5.18 million in 2019 and that increased to €12.6 million in 2023. The number of participants has increased from 1,092 in 2019 to 1,212 in 2023. Those are figures I received from the Department of Justice. Questions arise regarding value for money where there is spiralling funding but a diminishing return.

With my critical hat on, I ask if youth diversion projects are integrated sufficiently into wider community safety plans and universal youth services. As far as I am concerned, youth diversion projects and programmes alone cannot drive a youth justice strategy. We need community-wide involvement along with services and facilities. We also need funding for universal youth services. It concerns me that while we have seen this increase in targeted services, conversely funding for universal youth services has remained stagnant since 2008. When it comes to youth services, it should not be the case that intervention comes at a point where there is a risk of criminal behaviour. We need youth services to have touch points across the board with our young people. That means having an integrated youth services landscape.

I ask the Minister to take a critical eye and think about public confidence, value for money and the youth sector in general.