Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 17 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 3

Written Answers. - Juvenile Liaison Scheme.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

122 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice the number of juvenile liaison officers currently employed per county. [18928/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The deployment of the Garda Síochána is the responsibility of the Garda authorities. They have informed me that the territorial area covered by a Garda juvenile liaison officer is defined on the basis of a Garda district or division as appropriate. This does not always conform to county boundaries. The current deployment of juvenile liaison officers is set out, by Garda Division, in the following table:

Deployment of Juvenile Officers

District/Division	Gardaí	Sergeant
Dublin Metropolitan Area North	12	1
Dublin Metropolitan Area South	11	1
Dublin Metropolitan Area East	6
Dublin Metropolitan Area North Central	3	1
Dublin Metropolitan Area South Central	4
Louth/Meath	4
Longford/Westmeath	3
Laois/Offaly	2
Carlow/Kildare	2
Wexford	3
Waterford/Kilkenny	5
Tipperary	2
Cork West	2
Cork City	5	1
Cork North	2
Kerry	2
Limerick	1	1
Clare	1
Galway West	2
Roscommon/Galway East	2
Mayo	2
Sligo/Leitrim	1
Donegal	3
Cavan/Monaghan	2
Total*	82	5

*This total does not include staff at the Garda National Juvenile Officer, Harcourt Square, who monitor and co-ordinate all matters relating to juveniles on a national scale.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

123 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice the developments which have occurred in each of the years from 1994 to 1996 in relation to the juvenile liaison programme; the developments she envisages occurring in the near future in terms of manpower, resources and legislative backing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18930/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The Garda authorities are responsible for the detailed deployment of Garda personnel and resources and I have been informed by them that the operation of the Garda juvenile liaison scheme is kept under constant review by the Director of the National Juvenile Liaison Office. However, I should point out that in 1991 major reforms of the Garda juvenile liaison scheme were implemented to improve its effectiveness and to ensure its availability for all suitable young offenders. These reforms included the establishment of the National Juvenile Liaison Office to monitor and co-ordinate all matters relating to juveniles on a national scale. Other measures also introduced at that time included reform of the reporting and supervision arrangements under the scheme, variation of the duration of the period of supervision and improvements in both training and flexibility of working arrangements for juvenile liaison officers.

The Garda authorities also inform me that since 1994 additional juvenile liaison officers have been appointed as follows:

Year	Number Appointed	Location
1994	1	“M” District (Tallaght), Dublin Metropolitan Area
1995	1	“L” District (Ballyfermot), Dublin Metropolitan Area
	1	Cork West Division
	1	Cork East Division
	1	Roscommon/Galway East Division
	1	Mayo Division

Until recently the role of Director at the National Juvenile Liaison Office was fulfilled by the Superintendent, Community Relations Section. However, in March 1996, an additional superintendent was appointed specifically to take charge of the National Juvenile Liaison Office, the Garda schools programme and Garda community based projects. Consideration is also being given at present to augmenting the existing juvenile liaison officer supervisory structure within the Dublin Metropolitan Area.

With regard to future legislative developments, the forthcoming Children Bill, which will deal primarily with juvenile justice matters, will place the Garda juvenile diversion programme on a statutory basis. In doing do, it will widen the scope of the programme by incorporating into it a family conference in suitable cases. I expect to publish the Children Bill within the next few weeks.