Seanad debates
Wednesday, 3 December 2003
Adjournment Matters. - Crime Prevention Programmes.
10:30 am
Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter for the Adjournment debate.
As the Minister of State may have seen in a recent "Prime Time" programme, the problem of juvenile or youth crime is particularly serious in many towns and cities. One of the most impressive tools the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has at its disposal is an annual fund which it can use to finance specific youth diversionary programmes in a number of urban areas. I understand that 64 programmes have been funded by the Department, representing the carrot, rather than the stick, approach.
As the Minister of State may know from his brief from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, one of the more recent applications comes from the STAY project in St. Aengus' parish in Tallaght. A comprehensive application has been made to the Department seeking funding as another programme within the youth diversionary programme. Like other Senators, I am here to plead and bleat about issues to do with my own constituency and to see if the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will lend his ear and support to the programme.
This is a community based programme which attempts to pick up children who are falling out of the educational system and coming into harm's way through their engagement in anti-social activity and crime. St. Aengus' parish is not a designated area under the RAPID scheme and is not regarded as an area of heightened deprivation in comparison to other areas close by. There is a general sense that the community has been poorly serviced by infrastructure. Uniquely, this group of community workers, a local national and community school, An Garda Síochána, the parish team itself and a variety of other agencies have come together to make this application to the Minister. The group seeks €63,500 to fund the project so that it can be expanded to people over 18 years of age. It is not a large sum of money if one considers the amount of money which goes into custodial sentences – it is peanuts.
I ask the Minister of State to liaise with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to express my strong support for this project and ask him to give us an early decision on the application. The small amount of money which they seek will make a difference in the community and will ensure this programme can continue to do its good work on a much sounder financial footing.
Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context
I thank the Senator for raising this matter on the Adjournment and I am aware of his interest in this subject. I apologise for the absence of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform who regrets that he is unable to be here due to prior commitments.
Garda youth diversion 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, promote civic responsibility and improve prospects of employability. By doing so, the projects also contribute to improving the quality of life within communities and enhancing Garda-community relations.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is committed to their continuing development and, as resources permit, their expansion. The projects are funded by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and administered by the community relations section of the Garda Síochána. The first projects, previously known as Garda special projects, were established in 1991 and by October 2001, the number of projects had reached its existing level of 64. Many of the projects established in recent years were facilitated by the allocation of funding under the National Development Plan, 2000-2006.
The rapid expansion in project numbers created quality assurance challenges in regard to the operation and management outcomes of the projects. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform commissioned an evaluation report on the Garda youth diversion projects entitled, The Impact and Effectiveness of the Garda Special Projects, which suggested that a set of guidelines was required to develop a planned and strategic approach. The report recommended that the guidelines should set out the nature of youth crime prevention and diversion projects, the implementation structures required to deliver programmes at local level, the roles of the various stakeholders involved and the range of actions and measures that are appropriate to fund good crime prevention work.
As a result, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform commissioned the centre for social and educational research at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Rathmines, in 2001 to prepare comprehensive guidelines for the establishment, operation, management and administration of the projects. The guidelines were launched by the Minister in May 2003. The purpose of the guidelines is to act as a benchmark against which applications for new projects are to be evaluated on an ongoing basis. They should be viewed as an aid to new and existing Garda youth diversion projects on their establishment, operation, administration and monitoring. The guidelines set out best practice regarding preventative activities and interventions in dealing with marginalised young people. They will also act as a practical aid to projects and their management committees and co-ordinators.
Participation in Garda youth diversion projects is voluntary. The primary project target group, which forms the majority of project participants, comprises young people who have entered the Garda juvenile diversion programme and are considered at risk of remaining within the justice system. The secondary project target group comprises young people who, although they have not been officially cautioned, have come to the attention of the Garda, the community or local agencies as a result of their behaviour and are considered at risk of entering the justice system at a future date. The number of participants in each project differs according to local circumstances and resources. The focus is on the quality of the work-intervention with the participants rather than on the quantity of participants.
It is estimated that the 64 Garda youth diversion projects cater for approximately 2,500 participants per annum. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has been informed by the Garda authorities that an application for STAY – the St. Aengus youth project – was received by the Garda community relations section in October 2002 and that the proposal relates to young people between ten and 18 years of age in the disadvantaged area of St. Aengus's parish.
Three Garda youth diversion projects currently operate in the Tallaght district, namely, the YEW, KEY and JAY projects. Funding of €5.577 million has been allocated to Garda youth diversion projects in the current year, of which €296,420 has been allocated to the three projects in the Tallaght district. While the Minister has secured an overall increase of 9.5% in the Estimates for the Vote for the Garda Síochána in 2004, the continuing need to maintain discipline in the public finances means that he must prioritise expenditure. He, therefore, cannot increase the funding for all items of expenditure in the Vote. As a result, the Abridged Estimates Volume for 2004 provides for funding of €5.318 million for Garda youth diversion projects. However, in view of the fact that most of the more recently established projects incurred start up expenses in the past two years, which are not expected to be a feature in the coming years, the Minister is confident that all of the projects can be maintained on the proposed funding allocation.
It is not envisaged that additional Garda youth diversion projects will be established in the short term. However, the possibility of establishing further projects in the future in light of budgetary conditions will remain. In that context, I assure Senator Brian Hayes that the application for the St. Aengus youth project will be kept under review. I will brief the Minister, at the earliest opportunity, on the Senator's contribution and relay his desire that the project be approved.