Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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561. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the design and implementation by An Garda Síochána of a revised approach to offender management, including youth offenders and recidivist offenders through inter-agency partnerships. [36103/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As outlined in my response to the Deputy on 13 July 2017, I have been informed by An Garda Síochána that the Modernisation and Renewal Programme (MRP), incorporates a range of initiatives to enable An Garda Síochána to meet present and future challenges. The Programme has been formed based on recommendations made in 44 reports, both internal and external, developed over the preceding ten years as well as extended periods of consultation and workshops with senior leadership within the organisation. The MRP aims to deliver on its objective through the realisation of a number of key outcomes described in detail throughout the chapters of the Programme launch document. The Strategic Transformation Office (STO) has been established to oversee governance and delivery of the projects that form the MRP.

With more than 80 initiatives and 135 projects, the MRP will strengthen the service An Garda Síochána provides and ensure that they can deal with any emerging issues into the future. Due to the scale of the programme, a phased planning approach is essential; some initiatives will be implemented in the short to medium term, while others will require a number of years to implement fully. Given the highly complex nature of the MRP, timelines for projects may move for a number of reasons including extended scope or procurement phase, unforeseen delays to risks or issues or changes to the strategic priorities of the organisation.

An Garda Síochána works closely with my Department and the DPP, Irish Prison Service and Probation Service to tackle crime and reduce reoffending rates. I am informed that An Garda Síochána will use Offender and Case Management programmes, in conjunction with the Courts, Probation Service, HSE and TUSLA, to manage prolific and high risk offenders in the community to reduce re-offending.

The Offender Management initiative under the MRP is currently comprised of two projects, namely JARC and SAOR.

- JARC is a Joint Agency Approach to Crime where An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prisons Service and the Probation Service work together to move repeat offenders away from crime. The implementation of this project under the MRP will further develop and implement operational processes to manage nominated prolific offenders in co-operation with these agencies

- SAOR is a Strategic Approach to Offender Recidivism which aims to reduce recidivism through the training of Case Managers for the organisation. Successful implementation of this project will ensure the effective management and implementation of case managers and improved inter agency co-operation.

The above programmes will continue to be rolled out throughout 2017. The various programmes within JARC are in an evaluation process and it is expected that the evaluations of the three initial programmes will be completed before the end of this year.

In addition, a Youth JARC project was initiated earlier this year which looks at the most prolific offenders aged between 16-21 and is being piloted in Blanchardstown and in Mayfield and Gurranabraher in Cork. The selection process of the first youths for the project is under way at present. The aim of the project, like the adult JARC, is to take a multi-agency approach to intervening in order to reduce their level of offending.