Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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143. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide details regarding the progress made around outcomes based contracts to help reduce re-offending by young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43713/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Under the Social Investment Initiative led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department is supporting an Irish Youth Justice Service proposal to attract philanthropic and private funds to develop a robust supervision and support programme as an alternative to remand to detention for young people at risk of non-compliance with bail conditions. The proposal has been accepted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as one of two projects nationally for more detailed consideration in terms of a possible pilot programme.

In October 2013 the Government gave approval to my Department to progress the proposal. A feasibility study to progress the following actions is underway:

a) Work with the Department of Justice and Equality, the Probation Service and the Courts Service, with critical input from other public bodies, to secure the necessary information for completion of the financial modelling and cost benefit analysis.

b) Examine the means to finance the proposal in years 1-5, and in particular the sourcing of private sector funds for the initiative.

c) Work with other potential stakeholders to determine the scope and cost of interventions and the availability of appropriate non-public service providers to deliver the project.

d) Further examination of the project’s specific governance and risks and the most suitable arrangements for addressing these.

It is anticipated that the study will conclude this year after which there will be further engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the matter.