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Garda Youth Diversion Projects

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2019

Tuesday, 21 May 2019

Questions (304)

Joan Burton

Question:

304. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of juveniles and the age of each that have been assigned to Garda juvenile liaison officers in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019. [21898/19]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy may be aware, an analysis of activity under the Garda Diversion Programme is published annually in the report of the Monitoring Committee appointed under Section 44 of the Children Act 2001 (as amended). 

The Committee's reports are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, as required under the Act.

For ease of reference, relevant data for 2012 to 2017 from these reports is compiled in the following table. Please note that the figures for 2018 and to date in 2019 are not yet available. The 2018 report will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas later this year after it is received from the Garda authorities.

The Deputy might note that the figures given in the following table show the number of young people who are referred for consideration under the Diversion Programme. The outcome of each referral, including the degree of supervision by a Juvenile Liaison Officer considered appropriate, is based on assessment of each individual case in accordance with the provisions of Part 4 of the Children Act. I might add that some 4,000 young people participate in Garda Youth Diversion projects in any one year.

Referrals to the Garda Diversion Programme 2012 – 2017

Year

Age

Percent

Number

2012

12

4%

490

13

8%

980

14

12%

1470

15

19%

2327

16

21%

2572

17

35%

4286

Total

99%*

12246

2013

12

4%

417

13

8%

834

14

13%

1355

15

19%

1980

16

23%

2397

17

33%

3439

Total

100%

10420

2014

12

4%

400

13

8%

799

14

13%

1299

15

19%

1898

16

22%

2198

17

33%

3297

Total

99%*

9991

2015

12

4%

392

13

8%

785

14

14%

1373

15

19%

1863

16

22%

2158

17

33%

3236

Total

100%

9807

2016

12

4%

378

13

9%

851

14

14%

1323

15

20%

1890

16

23%

2174

17

30%

2835

Total

100%

9451

2017

12

4%

424

13

10%

1061

14

16%

1697

15

20%

2121

16

21%

2227

17

29%

3076

Total

100%

10607

*Figures taken from the Section 44 Monitoring committee reports, discrepancies are due to percentage rounding.

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