Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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113. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which he continues to support programmes to encourage young persons off the streets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22826/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The statutory framework relating to young offenders and the Garda Diversion Programme is set out in the Children Act 2001. The operation of the Garda Diversion Programme is supported by the nationwide network of Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs). 

GYDPs are community based, multi-agency, crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have become involved in criminal or anti-social behaviour. They aim to support young people to develop and mature through positive interventions and interactions with a local project.  GYDPs provide a range of education and training programmes e.g. academic support, IT, employment preparation and specific job training.

My Department is currently running an extensive consultation process on the future development of GYDP services.

At present there are 105 GYDPs operating nationally which provided GYDP services to 3,765 participants during 2017.

In 2017, my Department provided €13,290,518 in grant funding to support the delivery of the nationwide network of Garda Youth Diversion Projects. A further €1,372,178 in grant funding was provided to support a range of other activities, including project work relating to Local Drugs Task Forces, pilot mentoring initiatives and measures to support training and best practices.

From 2015, GYDPs have been co-funded under the Programme for Employability Inclusion and Learning of the European Social Fund (ESF) 2014-2020.

In addition to work of GYDPs, the Probation Service provided €5,086,500 to support the operation of Young Persons Probation projects in 2017.