Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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119. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when she expects a Garda youth diversion project for a town (details supplied) in County Cork to be operational; the level of resources that will be involved; the way the project will operate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22855/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware I was pleased to announce, on the 15th May last, the allocation of the first tranche of Dormant Accounts Action Plan funding which includes funding to expand and enhance the Garda Youth Diversion Project (GYDP) network. My Department has responsibility for the Community Programmes Unit of the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) which manages the GYDP network nationwide.

Grants are being provided to support the opening of 10 new GYDPs nationwide and the recruitment of additional staff to 16 existing Garda Youth Diversion Projects in order to respond to higher levels of youth crime or to expand the geographical remit of a project. The funding will enable the expansion of the GYDP service by approximately 18% nationwide. The locations for new projects and for the additional youth justice workers have been selected following a detailed examination by IYJS and An Garda Síochána of national youth crime and population statistics, including a detailed analysis of youth crime by the Garda Síochána Analysis Service. The full list of locations is available on my Department's website www.justice.ie and www.iyjs.ie.

A new project will be established in the town mentioned by the Deputy with a planned allocation through the Dormant Accounts Fund of approximately €125,000 per annum. Local Garda management are currently working with the service provider with a view to having the project up and running by October. The project will employ two youth justice workers to engage young people in the area who have come in to contact with the local Juvenile Liaison Officer because of their offending behaviour. The project will operate in line with the existing "Operational Requirements" for GYDPs (available on the IYJS website). The resource will also form part of the new Garda Youth Diversion delivery model currently being developed in Cork City Garda Division by local Garda management and the service provider in the area with support from the National Garda Youth Diversion Office and Community Programmes Unit, IYJS.