Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 1997

Vol. 480 No. 6

Written Answers - Young Offenders.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

528 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of trips abroad arranged for young offenders by the Probation and Welfare Service or other agencies under the aegis of his Department during 1997 or other recent years; the locations visited; the numbers of offenders visiting each location; the total cost involved; the perceived value of such trips; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14992/97]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

The position is that certain local community-based youth diversion projects, which are funded by the probation and welfare service have, from time to time, arranged visits abroad for a small number of young people participating in the projects.

Decisions are made, not by the probation and welfare service itself, but by the local project management committees - though the probation and welfare service is represented on these committees. It is a matter for local project management to assess the value of such trips in each individual case. The position in 1997 to date is that:

(1) Six young people attending the WHAD project in Ballyfermot went on a trip to Wales by minibus as part of a training programme. The cost of this trip was under £ 500 and it was an integral part of outreach work with troubled young people who are making a fresh start.

(2) As part of a merit scheme in a behaviour modification programme one youth residing in Lionsvilla Probation Hostel, run by the Dublin Lions Club, won a trip to Livepool to see his team play in a premiership match. The cost of the trip was £ 150, which was sponsored by the management committee.

In 1996, six trainees from the Tower Programme, North Clondalkin, went to Germany for one week as part of an exchange programme. This programme was in receipt of EU funding and the transitional exchange requirement was an integral part of the EU Programme (HORIZON).

My Department also makes funds available to a number of Garda community based youth diversion projects which are aimed at young people at risk of getting involved in crime. Information on possible trips abroad by young persons involved in these projects is not readily available and it would cost a disproportionate amount of staff time and resources to obtain it.