Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 June 2016
84. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the role of Garda youth diversion projects as part of a long-term strategy to tackle gangland crime in north inner city Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14271/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that I recently announced a range of additional measures to tackle organised crime. These include the drafting of new legislation to further target the proceeds of crime and to strengthen the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau. In addition I intend to bring forward proposals to enhance and update the legislative framework for the lawful interception of communications and for covert electronic surveillance, to combat the threats from serious and organised crime and terrorism.
The Commissioner has also announced the establishment of a special crime Task Force, in cooperation with other agencies including the Revenue Commissioners and Department of Social Protection. The purpose of the Task Force will be to focus relentlessly on persons involved in gangland activities.
As the Taoiseach announced, a separate task force will be set up in close consultation with community groups in the north inner city to identify the best means of tackling the various long-term problems to which the Deputy refers, including social exclusion, drugs, education and employment."
I have consistently made clear that we would fund whatever measures were needed for An Garda Síochána to best tackle the critical and unprecedented challenges they currently face. I was glad to secure substantial additional funding today of €55 million for the remainder of 2016.
The Deputy will be aware that statutory provision in relation to young offenders is set out in the Children Act 2001 (as amended). Accordingly, where a young person under the age of 18 comes into conflict with the law, the principles of the Act apply. A key principle in the Children Act relating to young offenders is that detention should be a last resort. In support of this principle, the legislation facilitates the incremental application of a series of measures, ranging from diversion in the first instance through community based sanctions, to detention.
The operation of the above statutory framework is substantially supported by the significant investment by my Department in community based programmes which are directed at diverting young people from further involvement in criminal or anti-social behaviour. These youth justice community programmes proceed on the basis of evidence that diversion programmes in the form of high quality preventative intervention can do more to reduce crime than more costly custodial sanctions. In 2016, just under €17 million has been allocated by my Department to the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) to administer Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs), Young Persons Probation Projects (YPPs) and a number of other youth diversion community-based projects.
The evidence indicates that Diversion Projects are a sound investment. The GYDPs tackle behaviours such as impulsiveness which are associated with the bulk of youth crime; for example public order offending and minor theft. The GYDPs have a critical role to play in reducing youth crime. Their role is to prevent or 'divert' young people from the onset of repeat or serious offending, including potential future involvement in gangland crime, and they do this very effectively and efficiently. The Annual Reports of the Committee appointed to monitor the effectiveness of the Diversion Programme provide an overview of youth crime in the particular year in question. As such, the reports include details of, inter alia, the number of incidents and individual children and young people referred to the Diversion Programme and the outcomes of such referrals. The reports also include details in relation to the resources deployed by the Garda Commissioner to support the operation of the Programme. Arrangements in relation to the publication of the 2014 Report of the Monitoring Committee are currently being finalised. In its 2014 Report the Committee reports that 9,991 children and young people were referred to the Diversion Programme. This compares with 10,420 children and young people referred in 2013 and continues the downward trend in the number of children and young people referred to the Programme in recent years.
The officials from my Department assigned to the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS), in partnership with An Garda Síochána, are responsible for the management of the GYDPs and in partnership with the Probation Service in the case of YPPs. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis each GYDP, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, develops a youth crime profile of the catchment area and of the young people who live there so that services are targeted effectively. The focussed targeting of young people in this way is complemented by the application of a risk assessment to identify the needs of the young people referred to the projects. This assists each project to focus on the continued development of targeted evidence based intervention and planning, leading to improved outcomes for the young people coming to the attention of An Garda Síochána.
I can inform the Deputy that five GYDPs and two YPPs operate in the Dublin north inner city area and almost €900,000 is being provided this year to support these important initiatives. The GYDP projects in the area provided support and services to over 140 young people who were referred in 2015.
Of course there are very real challenges in confronting violent criminals, but we should not lose sight of the fact that An Garda Síochána has in the past successfully faced down criminal gangs who believed they were above the law. Major investigations are underway in relation to recent shooting incidents, and I have made it clear to the Garda Commissioner that all necessary financial resources will continue to be made available to An Garda Síochána to support them in facing down the threat from criminal gangs.
