Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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483. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to roll out restorative justice service provision as promised in the Programme for Government; his plans to provide year-on-year additional funding to ensure all counties have community-based restorative justice programmes; his plans to increase referrals through the restorative justice system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50261/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am committed to progressing and implementing policies aimed at increasing the use of community sanctions, that reduce offending, divert people away from imprisonment, and provide effective rehabilitation. Restorative justice is a key component of this work.

In April 2025, I approved the publication of the Probation Service restorative justice plan, ‘Restoring Relationships: Repairing Harm and Empowering Voices through Restorative Justice’. This plan aims to promote awareness and support increased use of restorative justice across the system. The plan also details how the Probation Service is further driving the integration of restorative justice into all its services, while also expanding its provision nationally.

The Probation Service delivers restorative justice directly, and also through several community-based organisations that receive referrals at specific points in the criminal justice process. It currently provides funding to five community-based organisations to provide dedicated restorative justice programmes.

The Probation Service currently provides funding for dedicated RJ services in 18 counties as follows:

• Restorative Justice Services - Dublin, Meath, Wicklow and Kildare

• Restorative Justice in the Community - Tipperary, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath, Carlow, Kilkenny

• Le Chéile - Limerick, Cork, Clare and Kerry

• Cornmarket Project – Wexford

• Tuam Community Training Centre - Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon

Other Probation Service funded Community Based Organisations (CBOs) also use restorative practice approaches in their work with clients to promote respectful relationships and address the harm caused by their offending.

In 2024, €20 million of funding was provided for the continued development of 60 community based organisations, €1 million of which supported the development of capacity in community based organisations that facilitate restorative justice services.

In Budget 2025, the Probation Service received an additional €4 million, bringing its total budget to over €60 million to fund an expansion of crime-diversion programmes including restorative justice programmes and community based alternatives to imprisonment.