New Garda Youth Diversion Projects to be up and running this year

Dublin Labour TD and member of the Oireachtas Justice Committee Sean Kenny has welcomed the announcement of seven new Garda Youth Diversion Projects that will be getting underway in 2016. In addition, a new pilot mentoring service which deals with young people who come to the attention of An Garda Síochána will also be implemented.

“Much progress on youth crime has been made over the past number of years but there is still a need for additional crime prevention and crime reduction efforts.
That’s why the Garda Youth Diversion Projects are most needed in areas with a high level of youth crime and young population.

“It is vital that vulnerable young people in these areas are diverted away from a life of crime and towards a positive life and I am particularly pleased that two new schemes will be based in Dublin Bay North, one scheme covering Kilbarrack/Killester/Raheny and the other covering Donnycarney/Fairview/Clontarf.

“€1.7m has been allocated from the Dormant Account Funding to support these new youth justice initiatives. The Dormant Accounts Fund is based on money in bank accounts that has not been claimed for many years. This money is an excellent way of supporting important social projects such as diversion programmes.

“I am also pleased that the projects will also be included in the European Social Fund (ESF) Programme for Employability Inclusion and will there for have additional funding from the European Union.”