Skip to main content
Normal View

Wednesday, 5 Feb 2014

Written Answers Nos. 33-39

Garda Youth Diversion Projects

Questions (33)

Michael McNamara

Question:

33. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the youth diversion projects and progress made on reducing anti-social behaviour and criminal behaviour in young people, links with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and any new initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5248/14]

View answer

Written answers

There are 100 Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) nationwide. These projects are community-based, multi-agency crime prevention initiatives run by community based organisations in partnership with An Garda Síochána and they are funded/overseen by my Department‘s unit within the Irish Youth Justice Service.

The projects receive their participants mainly between the ages of 12 and 17 through a referral system operated by the local Garda Juvenile Liaison Officer. These projects primarily seek to divert young people who have been involved in anti-social and/or criminal behaviour by providing suitable activities to facilitate personal development, promote civic responsibility and improve long-term employability prospects. The projects undertake a series of programmes and activities which are aimed at changing behaviours, attitudes and lifestyles of project participants to bring about positive change and learning outcomes. Essentially the projects provide a resource to An Garda Síochána and to Juvenile Liaison Officers in particular, in the implementation of the Diversion Programme as set out in Part 4 of the Children Act 2001. Most projects are located within areas of high social disadvantage.

Over the last number of years the Community Programmes Unit of the Irish Youth Justice Service in cooperation with An Garda Síochána has been working to improve the quality and effectiveness of the services provided by the GYDPs. As part of this process, joint training sessions for youth justice workers, Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers and Community Gardaí were delivered over the past number of years on a variety of topics, including motivational interviewing, pro-social modelling, dealing with parents who are ambivalent to young person’s offending and risk assessment. Significant work has also been undertaken by IYJS in partnership with An Garda Síochána to improve the governance of the projects. This includes annual business planning which is informed by local youth crime data. This enables projects to develop a youth crime profile of the catchment area so that services can be deployed effectively. This process is complemented by the use of a risk assessment tool with each participant designed to identify the needs of the individual participant and to enable the project to design interventions that provide the best possible outcome for the participant. The focus is on the continued development of targeted evidence based intervention and planning, leading to improved outcomes for young people coming to the attention of An Garda Síochána.

In recent months a trial site initiative involving 15 projects has commenced which is designed to test some new measures and enhance skills across these projects. There is also a pilot underway with the projects located in Kerry in cooperation with An Garda Síochána and Kerry Diocesan Youth Service. The pilot seeks to deliver the Garda Youth Diversion Project service across the whole of the county as opposed to the localised catchment areas the projects were located in. This pilot will be evaluated towards the end of 2014.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs fund the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country through a number of schemes. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drug Task Force projects and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. This funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. In addition three specialist staff, who were formerly part of the Irish Youth Justice Service, provide part-time support to the IYJS Community Programmes Unit for the operation of the Garda Youth Diversion Projects.

You will no doubt be aware that earlier this week, I along with my colleague The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, published "Tackling Youth Crime - a Youth Justice Action Plan 2014-2018". The Action Plan will form part of the National Anti-Crime Strategy being developed as part of the White Paper on Crime process, with its focus on crime reduction and safer communities. It will also form part of the Children and Young People’s Policy Framework being developed in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, with its focus on better outcomes for children and families. This Plan is available on the Youth Justice website - www.iyjs.ie. The Plan sets out specific objectives addressing the development and use of diversion in the community. The range of initiatives being pursued include:

- improving the analysis of youth crime through the Garda Analysis Service,

- utilising our resources in areas of greatest need and to establish effective crime prevention supports in cooperation with other youth service providers nationwide.

- improving the effectiveness of the Garda Youth Diversion Projects by further development of focussed interventions which challenge and divert young people from offending behaviour;

- the alignment of Garda Youth Diversion Projects with youth offending hot spots and the maximising of links between the Diversion Programme and these projects.

Tackling youth crime continues to be a key priority for this Government as set out in the Programme for Government.

Garda Resources

Questions (34)

Niall Collins

Question:

34. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has reviewed Garda resources in view of the spate of violent crimes committed in January 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5297/14]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the detailed distribution of resources and the allocation of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts, the various Garda national units and of course Garda Headquarters. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.

I am aware that Gardaí are investigating the violent crimes referred to by the Deputy with all the necessary resources and charges have already been brought in relation to a number of the deaths. In these circumstances I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any of these particular incidents.

Addressing organised criminality remains a key ongoing priority for both the Government and for An Garda Síochána and these priorities are clearly reflected in the Garda Policing Plan for 2014 and in the Programme for Government.

An Garda Síochána continue to target serious criminals and organised criminal groups on a number of fronts, including through the use of focused intelligence led operations by specialist units such as the Serious and Organised Crime Unit, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and the Criminal Assets Bureau. These units are also supported, as required, by the Security and Intelligence Section which assists with the provision of intelligence briefings and timely information.

Prisoner Numbers

Questions (35)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

35. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of republican prisoners being held at present in prisons here; the number of these that are serving sentences; the number on remand; the length of remand in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5251/14]

View answer

Written answers

I can inform the Deputy that as of Wednesday 29th January, there were a total of 62 subversive prisoners in custody in the prison estate. There are 14 prisoners awaiting trial, the remaining 48 prisoners have been sentenced.

Subversive prisoners are located in the maximum security Portlaoise Prison which, in addition to the usual perimeter security, has an armed military presence. My officials closely monitor this category of prisoner to ensure good order and security in Portlaoise Prison and also in the context of the individual prisoners sentence management.

A table outlines the length of time each of these 14 prisoners have been in custody.

Case

Date committed for trial

Length of time in custody

1

29.11.12

14 months

2

07.12.12

13 months

3.

05.07.13

6 months

4.

05.07.13

6 months

5.

25.02.13

11 months

6.

09.03.13

10 months

7.

20.12.12

13 months

8.

09.03.13

10 months

9.

09.03.13

10 months

10.

05.07.13

6 months

11.

05.07.13

6 months

12.

18.10.13

3 months

13.

05.07.13

6 months

14.

10.09.13

4 months

Crime Investigation

Questions (36)

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Question:

36. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will replace his plans for a senior counsel review of the cold case inquiry into the murder of Fr. Niall Molloy with a proper independent public inquiry; and if he will meet Fr. Molloy's family in relation to this matter. [5319/14]

View answer

Written answers

The Deputy will be aware that arrangements are being put in train for Mr. Dominic McGinn, Senior Counsel, to carry out the proposed independent examination of the report of the Serious Crime Review Team relating to the Garda investigation into the death of Fr. Niall Molloy.

The terms of reference for the examination have been agreed with the Attorney General and are available on my Department's website. They have also been furnished directly to a representative of the family of Fr. Molloy.

In accordance with the terms of reference, Mr. McGinn will be asked to do two things, namely--

- to prepare a report which can be put into the public domain on any issues of public interest which may arise from the report, having regard to the rights of all those involved, and

- taking into account existing mechanisms for the investigation of offences, to identify matters, if any, of significant public concern which would warrant examination by a further inquiry and in respect of which such further inquiry would have a reasonable prospect of establishing the truth.

Given that one of the objectives of the proposed examination is to identify whether there are matters of significant public concern that would warrant examination by a further inquiry and in respect of which such further inquiry would have a reasonable prospect of establishing the truth, I have no proposals at this time to change the above arrangements. Rather, my immediate priority is to allow the Senior Counsel to carry out his examination so that the maximum amount of information can be put into the public domain at the earliest possible date. I will, of course, give full consideration to any matters which are identified as a result of the examination.

While I do not believe that a meeting with family members of Fr. Molloy will serve to advance matters at this time, it is important to add that they have been kept appraised of developments in this matter.

Subsidiary Protection Administration

Questions (37)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

37. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when he expects the introduction of the new subsidiary protection system; and if he has considered the introduction of legislation for a single procedure for the assessment of subsidiary protection. [5355/14]

View answer

Written answers

With regard to the introduction of a new subsidiary protection system, the Deputy may be aware that I made new Regulations last year governing the investigation and determination of applications for subsidiary protection in the State. The European Union (Subsidiary Protection) Regulations 2013, which came into effect on 14 November 2013, were made to address certain matters which arose from the judgment of the High Court in January 2013 in the MM case.

Under the new Regulations, responsibility for the processing of applications for subsidiary protection was transferred from my Department to the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner with appeals to be dealt with by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Both of these bodies are independent in the exercise of their statutory functions and they have substantial experience in the area of asylum investigations and appeals, respectively. As I have said previously, by its very nature, the processing of applications for international protection is a solemn and complex task which does not always lend itself to achieving speedy outcomes. However, now that processing has recommenced and once the new arrangements have bedded down, my aim is for subsidiary protection applications currently on hand to be processed to finality by the statutory bodies concerned in the shortest possible timeframe consistent with quality and fair assessment of all cases and of course, subject to the cooperation of applicants and no further legal impediments arising. In those circumstances I would anticipate very significant inroads to be made on the caseload by the end of 2014.

With regard to the introduction of a Single Procedure, work on the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill is ongoing at my Department. The Bill, which I propose to introduce this year, should substantially simplify and streamline the existing arrangements for asylum, subsidiary protection and leave to remain applications. It will do this by making provision for the establishment of a single procedure, so that applicants can be provided with a final decision on all aspects of their protection application in a more straight forward and timely fashion.

Garda Operations

Questions (38)

Mick Wallace

Question:

38. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on whether a report should be produced to provide information on the terminated offences that have no information placed in the mandatory comment box, as recommended by the Garda professional standards unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5353/14]

View answer

Written answers

As I explained in a response to a previous Question on this matter, all cancellations are now executed using the Fixed Charge Processing Office computer system and as a result the comment box on Pulse is no longer used when cancelling notices. I do not see a need for further examination into the specific matter at this point in time.

Proposed Legislation

Questions (39)

Seán Kyne

Question:

39. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on the progress of the creation of the new Irish human rights and equality commission; when the new commission will commence its examination of section 37 of the Employment Equality Act 1998; and the expected duration of this examination. [5340/14]

View answer

Written answers

The draft legislation to provide for the merger of the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority to form a new enhanced Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) is close to being finalised and I expect to publish this Bill shortly.

In the meantime, and pending enactment of the Bill, the members designate of the new Commission have been appointed on an interim basis to the two existing bodies so as to ensure that they operate in an integrated way and that the necessary arrangements for the merger can be progressed on an administrative basis.

As I announced on the occasion of their appointment on 16 April 2013, I have asked the members designate of the Commission to examine, as a priority, the potential impact of section 37 of the Employment Equality Acts on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, to undertake an extensive consultative process and formal assessment of the options for its amendment and to let me have their recommendations. The Commission is acting on this request and is carrying out a public consultation on this issue. The Commission invited submissions to be made to them by 13 November 2013 by any interested party, including individual persons who have a view on the issue. I understand that the Commission has received some 60 individual submissions, which are currently being examined. While not being in a position yet to say when its report will be completed, the Commission has indicated to me that it will be progressed as quickly as possible.

I look forward to receiving a report from the Commission with its recommendations in due course. At that stage, I will bring forward my proposals to Government in relation to such amendments as are necessary to the Employment Equality Act.

Top
Share