Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 June 2016
64. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the funding her Department provided to the Garda juvenile diversion programme and to the Garda youth diversion programme in each of the years 2006 to 2016 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18745/16]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the Garda Diversion Programme operates in accordance with Part 4 of the Children Act 2001, as amended, and under the general superintendence and control of the Garda Commissioner. The aim of the Diversion Programme, through the network of Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs), is to deal with young people who offend, by way of administering a formal or informal caution, thus diverting the young offender away from the Courts and minimising the likelihood of further offending. The Programme embraces, whenever possible, the principles of restorative justice and, at all times, pays the highest regard to the needs of victims. The Programme has proven to be highly successful in diverting children and young people away from crime by offering guidance and support to them and their families. This is evident from the continuing fall in the number of children and young people referred to the Programme in recent years.
The Programme is supported by my Department through the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) which funds and oversees over 100 Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) across the country.
GYDPs are community based multi-agency crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have become involved in criminal or anti-social behaviour. The projects aim to bring about the conditions whereby the behavioural patterns of young people towards law and order can develop and mature through positive interventions and interaction with the project. The projects are particularly targeted at 12-17 year old “at risk” youths in communities where a specific need has been identified and where there is a risk of them remaining within the criminal justice system.
The funding to Garda Youth Diversion Projects in each of the years from 2006 to June 2016 is as follows:
2006 - €6.4m2007 - €7.5m2008 - €8.8m2009 - €8.5m2010 - €11.6m2011 - €11.3m2012 - €10.9m2013 - €11.3m2014 - €11.3m2015 - €11.3m 2016 - €5.7m (June) The GYDPs are co-funded under the Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) of the European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020. EU receipts totalling some €6m are anticipated in respect of expenditure in 2015.
Dormant Accounts funding has also been secured under the Dormant Accounts Disbursement Scheme 2013 – 2016 to support the GYDPs. The IYJS received €0.33m reimbursement from the Dormant Accounts Fund in respect of GYDP related expenditure in 2015 and has secured €1.9m in Dormant Accounts funding in 2016 for the establishment of new GYDPs and providing additional support to existing GYDPs.
