Alan Farrell
Question:49. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide an update on the work of youth diversion programmes within Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7269/23]
View answerThursday, 16 February 2023
Questions (49, 53, 74)
Christopher O'Sullivan
Question:53. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice to provide an update on the rollout of the youth diversion programmes in Cork South West. [7511/23]
View answer
Niamh Smyth
Question:74. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the youth diversion programmes in place in County Cavan and if they will be rolled out across the county. [7509/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 53 and 74 together.
It has not been possible to collate the information requested in the time allowed.
I will write to the Deputies directly when the information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 49 of 16 February 2023 where you asked for: “To ask the Minister for Justice if he will provide an update on the work of youth diversion programmes within Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. ”
As you will recall the information was not available to answer your question at the time, and I undertook to contact you again when it was.
As you will be aware, Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) are community based, multi-agency youth crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have been, or are at risk of becoming, involved in anti-social and/or criminal behaviour. There are over 100 YDPs throughout the State providing suitable activities to facilitate personal development, promote pro-social behaviour and improve long term employability prospects for participants.
In Budget 2023, a further €2.5 million in funding was allocated to youth justice services, increasing the total budget allocation for the YDPs and other youth justice projects to €30.24 million. This funding will be deployed with the assistance of the best available research and expert evidence to keep young people away from crime.
Youth diversion can improve quality of life for the whole community, not just the lives of the young people they work with directly, and there are examples of that across the country. I am immensely proud and thankful for the tremendous work carried out by everyone involved in our Youth Diversion Projects.
The work of these individual projects in Dublin and elsewhere throughout the country includes early intervention, family support and outreach to harder-to-reach groups of young offenders and to minority communities. The number of YDPs in a particular county does not reflect the resources available in that county, or the coverage of the service in that county. The staffing levels, and accordingly the funding provided to different YDPs, varies in line with the need in each location.
Under the Youth Justice Strategy 2021-27, the intention is to further develop this service so that it is available to every child in the State who could benefit from it, through an ongoing expansion of existing services and the foundation of new projects where necessary. To achieve this, a call for expressions of interest from community-based organisations in relation to the establishment of 4 new projects in 2023 (including one covering the west Cork area and one covering south Monaghan) issued on 30 November 2022 and engagement is underway with those who expressed interest. These new YDPs will be responsible for providing family support, early intervention supports for 8-11 year olds, working with harder to reach young people and supporting schools to retain children with challenging behaviour where the necessary risk threshold has been met.
In December, I announced just under €832,000 in once-off funding to 42 Youth Diversion Projects throughout the State to go towards assisting with renovations, transport and IT equipment.
I can also advise you that there are currently 36 YDPs active in Dublin which received a total funding allocation of €9,863,476 in 2022, which includes €393,034 in once-off grants.
In Cavan, Cavan 365 YDP received an additional allocation of €69,519 in 2022 under the expansion of services to hire 1 new Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Early Intervention Worker and 1 new FTE Family Support Worker.
In Monaghan, MNYP YDP received an additional allocation of €66,283 in 2022 under the expansion of services to hire 1 new FTE Early Intervention Worker and 1 new FTE Family Support Worker. MNYP also received capital funding in December 2022 of €46,000 for the purchase of a minibus.
In West Cork, Bandon & Kinsale YDP received an additional allocation of €41,781 under the expansion of services to hire 1 new FTE Harder to Reach Worker. Bandon & Kinsale YDP also received capital funding in December 2022 of €12,800 for renovations.
I trust that this information is of assistance.