Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of youth diversion programmes in operation here; the locations they are in place; his plans to expand these vital programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34591/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Last October, I announced the establishment of an additional 7 Garda Youth Diversion Projects, fulfilling the commitment to increase the total number of projects operating throughout Ireland to 100 by the end of this year. There are 31 projects operating in Dublin, 11 in Cork, and 6 each in Kerry and Limerick. There are 5 projects in Waterford and 4 each in Galway, Louth and Tipperary. Offaly and Wexford have 3 projects. Clare, Donegal, Kildare, Laois, Mayo, Meath, Westmeath and Wicklow all have 2 projects while Carlow, Cavan, Kilkenny, Longford, Roscommon and Sligo and Monaghan all have one. Further details are set out in the table.

Finally, the Programme for Government contains a commitment to increase the number of Garda Youth Diversion Projects to 168 in the lifetime of this Government. On this note, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that additional resources have been allocated to fund the further expansion of youth diversion projects and programmes in 2008.