Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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417. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the share of offenders that are offered restorative justice/practice as part of their sentencing in 2024, and to date in 2025. [53374/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed that the Courts Service is not in a position to supply the information requested by the Deputy as the consideration or offer of restorative justice by a judge is not recorded on their case management system.

Furthermore, in cases where restorative justice is part of the court outcome, this is recorded only as an “unusual result”, so a report on the number of cases where restorative justice took place cannot be produced.

I can advise the Deputy that in 2024 there were 129 referrals from the courts to the Probation Service for a restorative justice intervention. Equivalent data for 2025 is yet to be compiled.

I remain 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.

Through its national Restorative Justice and Victim Services Unit (RJVSU), the Probation Service supports the integration of Restorative Justice models into client work. This includes victim empathy programmes, family/restorative conferences, reparation projects, and victim-offender dialogues. The RJVSU also provides training to Probation teams and supports CBO's in delivering restorative justice programmes.

Currently the Probation Service funds five CBO's to provide dedicated restorative justice programmes across 18 counties.

These are:

• 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

In addition to the named projects, restorative practice approaches are used by all CBO's in their work with clients, so as to promote respectful relationships and address the harm caused by offending.

In 2024, €20 million of funding was provided for the continued development of 50 community based organisations, €1 million of which supported the development of capacity in CBO's that facilitate restorative justice services.

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

The Service is currently inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from community-based organisations interested in employing dedicated Restorative Justice project workers to deliver restorative justice services in the Donegal, Sligo, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan areas. This will further support the availability of RJ interventions nationwide.