Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 April 2024
122. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons currently engaged with the bail supervision scheme in the youth justice system; her plans to extend this scheme to the adult population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18195/24]
View answerThe Bail Supervision Scheme offers courts an alternative option to detaining a young person who comes before them by providing them the possibility of granting bail with intensive supervision.
By reducing the need for remand places, this also provides an opportunity to focus on developing successful community resources designed to prevent young people being detained in a youth justice facility and preventing them from going further down the path of criminality.
The Bail Supervision Scheme currently serves the Children Courts in Dublin, Limerick and Cork. The scheme uses Multisystemic Therapy (MST) to support families of young people, who appear before the court and receive bail with conditions, to adhere to these conditions prior to subsequent court appearances.
Therapists meet with families and the young person in their homes and communities and empower parents/ guardians to ensure their children adhere to their conditions while at the same time assisting them to engage in education or other courses.
Across the three sites, therapists are currently working with 26 young people and their families, with a further three cases referred. These three cases are being assessed for suitability to participate.
There are currently no plans to extend this scheme; however consideration of a similar scheme for adult female offenders is at a very early stage.
