Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 April 2017
80. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the projected cost of full implementation of the current youth justice strategy; and the cost of expanding the strategy to cover young persons up to 24 years of age. [18419/17]
View answerI presume the Deputy, when referring to the projected cost of implementation of the current youth justice strategy, means the cost of operating the network of Garda Youth Diversion Projects throughout the country.
Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) are community based multi-agency crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have become involved in crime/anti-social behaviour. There are now 105 of these projects in place nationally and each project is managed by a Community Based Organisation (CBO) (e.g. Foróige, Youth Work Ireland, Crosscare etc).
The GYDPs 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 justice system. Young people are normally referred to GYDPs by the local Garda Juvenile Liaison Officer.
The projects operate as a support to the statutory Garda Diversion Programme provided for in Part 4 of the Children Act 2001 (as amended) and are funded by my Department, through the Irish Youth Justice Service. In 2016, approximately €15m was allocated by the Irish Youth Justice Service to GYDPs and a number of other youth diversion community based projects around the country. A similar level of funding will be provided in 2017.
With regards to introducing a Diversion Programme for young offenders aged 18-24 years the Deputy might note that the position in this regard, as outlined in my reply to Parliamentary Question Nos. 29 and 131 on the 28 February 2017, remains the same. For this reason it is not possible at this point in time to provide a projected cost of introducing a Diversion Programme for this cohort.
