Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the date on which the new National Youth Justice Strategy will be published. [54488/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to inform the Deputy that on the 1st October 2012, the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy noted the report of the National Youth Justice Oversight Group on the implementation of the National Youth Justice Strategy 2008-2010.

I can now confirm that, in collaboration with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, arising from our respective responsibilities under the Children Act 2001, it is intended to develop and publish a follow-up National Youth Justice Action Plan in early 2013. This Action Plan will build on the initial strategy but will have greater focus on performance through the implementation of evidence-based policies.

The Plan will form part of the Anti-Crime Strategy being developed by my Department as part of the White Paper on Crime, with its focus on crime reduction and safer communities. It will also come under the umbrella of the new Children and Young People’s Policy Framework being developed by my colleague Minister Fitzgerald with a focus on better outcomes for children.

Meanwhile, of course, we continue to pursue the youth justice commitments in our programme for government.