Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 May 2018
45. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there has been consultation with young persons regarding delivering the best and most meaningful programmes in an improved Garda youth diversion programme, especially in disadvantaged areas. [22649/18]
View answerMy colleague Minister David Stanton has lead responsibility in this area and I know that he is totally committed to ensuring that these very valuable programmes are delivered to the highest standard. As has been indicated previously in replies to the House on this issue, meaningful consultation on this matter is of paramount importance. I can confirm for the Deputy that my Department is running an extensive consultation process at present, essentially around two questions:
- The development of an agreed statement of what the Garda Youth Diversion Project (GYDP) service is – how it should operate, the range of interventions and supports deployed to assist participants in turning their lives around and to support their families and to prevent young people becoming involved in crime in the first place; the strong links required with other service providers and programmes that support communities, families and young people at risk to ensure effectiveness of the GYDP service; and the sense of local community participation and ownership of the work that is also critical to the design of programmes of work that take account of local circumstances and needs and thus have the potential to make a long-term impact; and
- the optimum local geographical areas for organisation of individual projects with the objectives of keeping those strong links with local community and other service provider stakeholders that are essential to the successful operation of GYDP and of ensuring that the service is available throughout the State.
It was originally envisaged that the consultation process would run to the end of April, but such has been the interest from local GYDPs and other stakeholders in participating and the number of requests for meetings that the opportunity to participate and make views known has been extended to mid-June.
My Department has already had consultations with a number of young people who participate in GYDPs and that has been organised by a number of projects with assistance from the GYDP Best Practice Team, which works with my Department in the management of the project network. My Department has also made arrangements with the Participation Hub in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs for a formal consultation process to be undertaken by them also, which will also feed into this process. A Steering Committee drawn from the various stakeholders within the GYDP network etc. has been established to advise on design of this process, including on arrangements for participation of young people in further design work and in a series of local consultation meetings. The Steering Committee met on 17 May 2018 and arrangements are being made now to establish a small advisory group of young people who have participated in GYDPs and who will be charged with design of the local consultations with their peers, including the questions to be asked. This work will be completed as soon as possible and the local consultations will take place over the next month or so. The feedback will be complied and a report published and this – together with the feedback from all elements of the overall consultation process – will be a valuable contribution to the future direction of the organisation and of the day-to-day work of Garda Youth Diversion projects.
