Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 161: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department proposes to accept their responsibilities as the funding agency for the Bris programme which was discontinued in the west side of Galway City, in terms of their obligations to the community worker to whom an award was made on foot of the ending of their employment on the sudden ending of this project, and which remains outstanding; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that those who acted as agents for his Department are claiming inability to pay and that as a result the community worker involved is being deprived of the award that has been made to them by an independent statutory authority. [34755/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Bris Garda Youth Diversion Project terminated on 31 May, 2005 as the result of the withdrawal of service by the employer who provided premises and staff to the project. The employer informed An Garda Síochána by letter dated 25 April, 2005 of the intention to withdraw from the project.

I would like to point out to the Deputy that the employer, in accordance with Garda Youth Diversion Project Guidelines, has overall responsibility for the staffing of the project and for all employment related issues.

Following its closure, an independent evaluation of the Bris Project was commissioned by the Garda authorities. The report of the evaluation has been received by them and is in the final stages of consideration by senior Garda management. Upon completion of their consideration of this report, they will forward their recommendations to my Department, which will decide on what steps to take. I look forward to early receipt of these Garda recommendations.