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Garda Youth Diversion Projects

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2020

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Ceisteanna (479)

Thomas Pringle

Ceist:

479. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the budget allocation for the Garda Youth Diversion Programme in each of the years 2018 to 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6528/20]

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Freagraí scríofa

The statutory framework relating to young offenders and the Garda Diversion Programme is set out in the Children Act 2001. The nationwide network of Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) is supported by my Department.  

I understand that there are currently some 105 Garda Youth Diversion Projects. GYDPs are community based, multi-agency, crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have become involved in criminal or anti-social behaviour. They aim to support young people to develop and mature through positive interventions and interactions with a local project.  GYDPs provide a range of education and training programmes e.g. academic support, IT, employment preparation and specific job training. 

Since 2015, GYDPs have been co-funded under the Programme for Employability Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) of the European Social Fund (ESF) 2014-2020.

My Department is pursuing an ambitious programme for the future development of GYDP services, working closely with community organisations and with expert support from the Research Evidence into Policy Programmes and Practice project in the University of Limerick.

The funding provided for Garda Youth Diversion Projects in the years 2018 to date is set out in the following table.

Year

Amount

2018

€13.7m (expenditure)

2019

€15.8m (expenditure)

2020

€18.3m (allocation)

The Deputy may also wish to be aware that the draft Youth Justice Strategy 2020-2026 has recently been published for public consultation by my colleague the Minister for State David Stanton.  An online questionnaire is available until the end of June to allow members of the public, including of course young people, to express their views.  Further information is available on my Department's website at the following link:

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Youth_Justice_Strategy_Public_Consultation

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