Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
998. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice the estimated cost to the Exchequer to provide ten additional Garda youth diversion programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56412/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy 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. Youth Diversion Projects are run by community-based organisations and are a vital support to the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme.
A top priority is the expansion and deepening of the services offered to young people by the Youth Diversion Projects, which are fully funded by my Department. These projects provide an invaluable support to complement the work of An Garda Síochána in addressing youth crime and protect local communities.
In Budget 2024, the funding allocated to Youth Justice Services increased by 10% to €33 million. This will facilitate an increase in the availability of YDP services in the evenings and at the weekends when many young people need them the most, as well as an increase in supports for families, interventions for typically hard-to-reach young people and early interventions for 8-11 year olds who may be at increased risk of becoming engaged in criminal activity.
The current network of 106 YDPs is extensive but we will continue to develop it further to ensure every child who needs it is reached. Four new Youth Diversion Projects are in the process of rolling out services with a further two additional projects planned for introduction later this year.
A total of €29 million was allocated to Youth Diversion Projects in 2023, however as the Deputy may appreciate, the funding needs of individual YDPs differ based on a range of criteria, such as the geographical area in which the Project operates, the number of referrals to the YDP and the number of the 'hard to reach' cohort of these referrals, amongst others.
My Department offers funding appropriate to the needs of each YDP and as determined by standard budgetary processes. Funding fluctuates based upon the YDPs' determination of their needs against the available budget for Youth Justice services annually.
Considerable progress has been made to extend the Garda Youth Diversion Project network to ensure that the service is available throughout the State. This has been achieved by extending existing project catchment areas and the allocation of additional staff. There are a small number of areas where this approach would not be suitable and the establishment of new projects in these areas is being progressed as an alternative.
Catchment areas for projects are determined in consultation with local community groups, members of An Garda Síochána and other stakeholders on a case-by-case basis. As the YDPs have evolved organically since their inception, catchment areas vary depending on the project’s background and local needs. Consequently, it is not possible to provide a standard estimate of the cost of additional projects.
