Written answers

Tuesday, 22 March 2016

Department of Justice and Equality

Irish Youth Justice Service

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

233. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when she will allocate funding to the Moyross Development Company for urgently required health and safety upgrades to recommence services provided by the Irish Youth Justice Service; the date the funding will be released and the amount that will be made payable; if services will not be denied to the youth of the area as has been the case for some months now; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4805/16]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department of Justice and Equality through the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS), funds the national network of Garda youth diversion projects (GYDPs) and young persons probation projects (YPPPs). The projects are managed on the ground by community based organisations (CBO).

The IYJS is familiar with the details of the works required to be carried out at the Moyross premises where a GYDP and a YPPP are operated by the Moyross Development Company (MDC) from five units owned by the Department of Justice and Equality. The need for the works involved arises from health and safety and fire safety audits completed in the second half of 2014. The audits highlighted the need for urgent internal fire safety upgrades and a roof upgrade and refurbishment to bring the premises into line with health and safety standards and fire safety regulations and to make it safe and fit for purpose for its users. The immediate concern was the roof, for which the IYJS authorised the undertaking of substantial repairs in May 2015 with the works involved completed in August. If these repairs had not been carried out the building would have suffered significant further degradation.

In May 2015, MDC submitted projected costs for the proposed internal refurbishment works following which approval to proceed to the tender stage was granted by IYJS.In November 2015 MDC informed IYJS that the tendering process had been completed and a preferred supplier identified. The difficulty that has arisen however, is that the preferred supplier’s quote is substantially higher than the costs projected in May 2015 and there are no funds provided for in the Department’s Vote in 2016 to meet the costs involved. In light of this and with a view to exploring all possibilities of funding, the IYJS submitted an application to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in December 2015 for Dormant Accounts funding to meet the cost of the refurbishment works. Pending receipt of a decision in relation to that application, it is not possible to bring to a conclusion the Department’s consideration of the request to proceed with the works.

It is anticipated that a decision on the IYJS Dormant Accounts application will be made shortly following which the IYJS will be in a position to respond to MDC's request to proceed with the works involved. In the meantime, the IYJS continues to provide funding of just under €700,000 per annum to the two projects involved on the basis that services continue to be provided to the youth of the area, albeit from different premises in the case of the GYDP.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.