Written answers
Tuesday, 11 July 2023
Department of Justice and Equality
An Garda Síochána
Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party)
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500. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there is a geographic breakdown or "heat map" of arrests made by An Garda Síochána in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33912/23]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in these matters, nor can I direct the Commissioner with regard to them.
The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, which is reflected in an allocation of over €2 billion under Budget 2023.
I am assured by the Garda authorities that the distribution of Garda resources is kept under constant review, in light of policing priorities and emerging crime trends.
I have contacted the Garda authorities who have provided the attached table, outlining a geographic breakdown of arrests made by An Garda Síochána in each of the past five years to date.
It is worth noting, incident counts are based on the date of reporting to An Garda Síochána and were collated based on PULSE data as of 6 July 2023. Please note that this information is operational and may be subject to change.
Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party)
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501. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for a geographic breakdown of Garda diversion programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33915/23]
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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509. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the youth diversion projects in place in counties Cavan and Monaghan at present; the proposals she has to approve additional projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34057/23]
James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 501 and 509 together.
Youth Diversion Project (YDPs) are community based, multi-agency crime prevention initiatives, which seek to divert young people who have become involved in crime/anti-social behaviour and to support wider preventative work within the community and with families at risk. The YDPs act as a vital support to the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme.
The objectives of the YDP are to:
- promote focused and effective interventions to challenge and divert young people from offending behaviour;
- utilise YDP resources in areas of greatest need and to establish effective crime prevention supports in co-operation with other youth service providers nationwide;
- actively promote crime prevention policy through focussed educational interventions influencing positive development of young people towards becoming responsible citizens.
Youth Diversion Projects are co-funded by the Irish Government and European Social Fund as part of the ESF+ Programme 2021-2027.
The Youth Justice Strategy 2021 - 2027 commits to the expansion of the Youth Diversion Projects and establishment of a small number of new Projects, so that every child or young person in the State who could benefit from this service can access it.
This includes the establishment of 4 new Projects, one of which will be located in Carrickmacross.
We are also exploring with other statutory bodies providing youth services to pilot a number of joint-commissioned Projects. This new type of YDP brings together services from across the public sector to enhance the service provided to young people and to ensure a 'no wrong door' approach. All of these are aimed at ensuring that programmes and interventions are as effectively designed and targeted as possible to support those children and young people (and their families) who experience particular disadvantage and are more at risk with respect to offending behaviour.
For the Deputy's information, the attached table shows the list of current YDPs nationwide.
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