Written answers
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Department of Justice and Equality
Restorative Justice
Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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1053. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures taken to roll out the voluntary restorative justice programme; what additional measures, if any, will be taken as part of the new Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1936/25]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, there has been much work done to date to support the expansion of restorative justice services, in line with the policy paper ‘Promoting and supporting the provision of Restorative Justice at all stages of the criminal justice system’, published in August 2023.
Restorative justice is defined in Irish law as any scheme through which, with the consent of each party, a victim and an offender or alleged offender engage with one another to resolve, with the assistance of an impartial third party, matters arising from the relevant offence or alleged offence.
Restorative justice is a process that evidence shows can support victims to recover from the impact of crime as well as serving to reduce reoffending. It is an integral part of the work of the Probation Service which established a Restorative Justice and Victim Services Unit in 2018.
In Budget 2025 the Probation Service received an additional €4 million, bringing the total budget to over €60m to expand restorative justice and crime diversion programmes, and to support step down facilities and community-based alternatives to imprisonment.
In 2024, €20 million of funding went toward the continued development of 60 community-based organisations, €1 million of funding provided supported the development of capacity in community-based organisations that facilitate restorative justice services.
The Probation Service will shortly publish a three-year Restorative Justice Plan aimed at promoting greater awareness and supporting increased use across the system. The plan will also detail how the Probation Service will further drive the integration of restorative justice into all its services and expand its provision nationally.
The Probation Service delivers restorative justice directly, and through several community-based organisations that receive referrals at specific points in the criminal justice process and is currently providing funding to five community-based organisations to provide dedicated restorative justice programmes.
These 5 programmes, and the areas they provide services to, are listed below:
Restorative Justice Services - Dublin, Wicklow, Meath and Kildare
Restorative Justice in the Community - Tipperary, Laois, Offaly and has recently expanded to Westmeath*
Le Chéile - Limerick, Kerry*, Cork* & Clare (for young people aged 16-24 years)
Cornmarket Project - Wexford
Tuam Community Training Centre – Galway*, Sligo*, and Roscommon*.
In 2024, services were newly introduced in the counties indicated with an asterisk.
Other Probation Service-funded CBOs also use restorative approaches in their work with clients to promote respectful relationships and address the harm caused by their offending.
Towards the end of 2024, the Probation Service sought Expressions of Interest from community-based organisations for the expansion of restorative justice services in the following regions: Donegal; Southwest region; Kilkenny; and Carlow. Funding was awarded to expand restorative justice service delivery in Kilkenny, Carlow and the Southwest.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the incoming Government has set the priorities in the draft Programme for Government. Work to progress these commitments will commence on the appointment of the new Government. The Deputy will also appreciate that, as a result, timelines or operational details on policy proposals are not available until work programmes are agreed.
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