Sharon Keogan urges tougher stance on youth diversion programmes
Sharon Keogan spoke about youth diversion and juvenile crime, urging a balance of stronger enforcement and expanded early-intervention supports. She criticised overcrowding at Oberstown, raised concerns about diversion referrals for serious sexual offences, and called for more police presence and national rollout of successful programmes.
Oberstown and detention pressures
Oberstown Children's Detention Campus regularly exceeds its 46‑juvenile capacity and has in some cases released young people because of lack of space. Keogan noted Oberstown's 2023 budget shows costs of up to €2,500 per child per day and described overcrowding as a symptom of weak early intervention.
Prevention and diversion programmes
She welcomed the government policy to expand youth diversion projects to provide earlier family support and engagement with younger children, arguing preventative programmes are more effective, humane and cheaper. Keogan highlighted initiatives such as the Bail Supervision Scheme and Restorative Justice as promising methods that address root causes and reduce reoffending, and she urged resources be directed to organisations like EPIC and YAP.
Concerns over serious offences and referral rules
Keogan warned against treating all offences the same within diversion schemes, citing an RT investigation that found 4,289 young people were referred to the diversion programme for sexual offences, including rape, between 2010 and 2023, with 795 accepted. She emphasised the need to distinguish levels of seriousness, noted that diversion can involve dropping charges, and called for mandatory victim involvement for severe crimes.
Legislation, enforcement and community measures
The Minister for Justice's law criminalising adults who force or entice children into criminal lifestyles - with penalties up to five years - was described as a step forward that should be strengthened. Keogan stressed enforcement and community support are key, urging councils to review local layouts, install lighting and design common spaces to reduce opportunities for gangs and antisocial behaviour.
Policing, education and local programme rollout
She warned that diversion programmes cannot substitute for an underfunded or undermanned police force and said the physical presence of Gardaí Shea Kána is essential to law enforcement. Keogan also promoted apprenticeship routes in the higher education portfolio as routes into work for youths and called for programmes like Greentown, currently in Limerick, to be rolled out to places such as Drogheda, Monaghan, Meath and Cavan so young people have alternatives to offending.
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You're very welcome in here this afternoon to talk about a topic that's really important to us. The diversion of our young people from the path of criminal activity is not just a matter of crime statistics, it's about the future of our children and the health of our communities. Recent reports have highlighted the challenges we face, for instance the overcrowding in Oberstown Children's Detention Campus, which has a capacity for 46 juveniles but often exceeds that limit, has led to some youth being released due to lack of space. This is a symptom of a deeper problem, the lack of early intervention and support for the at-risk youth. The new government policy of enhancing engagement with young people includes expanding the network of youth diversion projects to provide greater early intervention, family support and engagement with younger children. Granted, Oberstown's 2023 budget shows that it costs the Irish taxpayer up to €2,500 per child per day. There is no doubt that the preventative programmes will not only be more effective and humane, they will also be cheaper. Moreover, initiatives like the Bail Supervision Scheme and the Restorative Justice practices have shown promise in addressing the root cause of crime and reducing recidivism. This government programme offers therapeutic supports and often conversations between victims and perpetrators and encourages young people not to re-offend. I would particularly like to encourage the allocation and focus and resources to organisations like EPIC and YAP. In particular, I believe we should focus on a preventative approach that supports children at risk and marginalised situations and families. We must also address the influence of organised crime on our youth. Legislation introduced by the Minister for Justice criminalises adults who forces or entices children into criminal lifestyles with penalties of up to five years in prison. This is a step in the right direction, but it could and should go a lot further. Enforcement and community support are key. As I have previously stated, communities need to come together and decide what they want to be. Councils must examine the physical layout of their areas, install community lighting and ensure that the common spaces do not inadvertently contribute to the formation of gangs engaged in antisocial behaviour. But finally, it is also important that we be hard-nosed realists about youth crime. We cannot totally succumb to a naive, feel-good view that all criminals are themselves victims of poverty and bad circumstances. Many juvenile offenders are far from stupid. They are often fully aware that a sorry face and an appeal for a second chance can serve as the perfect get-out-of-jail card. Only last February, an RT investigation revealed that between 2010 and 2023, 4,289 young people were referred to the diversion programme for sexual offences, including rape, with 795 of them being accepted. We should make a clear distinction between the levels of seriousness of crimes. Please remember that part of the diversion programme involves dropping the charges against the minor in operation. Members of the House, dismissing charges of graffiti and vandalism is not nearly the same as dismissing charges of rape. What is also worrying is that for severe crimes like these, the involvement of the victim is not obligatory in the referral process. This needs to be changed. Finally, if we are to talk about prevention, I must say, as I have said again and again, that we simply cannot continue to neglect on Gardaí Shea Kána. The physical presence of our police is the most vital pillar of law enforcement. We can never expect these programmes to compensate for the underfunded or undermanned police force. I said it earlier and I will repeat it again. Many young offenders are not stupid. They are perfectly aware that they can get away with crime easily. And it takes hours and many cases for Gardaí to respond to calls. Minister, I know you are involved in the higher education, the new department that was set up there in the last term. And I must say that the apprenticeship programme that is available there for youths is one way of getting children and youths into proper jobs. These young people just want something to do. Very often, if you can give a child or a teenager a chance in life and show them a better way, they will take it. I wasn't aware of the Greentown programme until now. And I wasn't aware of it because I believe it's only in Limerick. That should be rolled out in every big city in this country. So that Greentown programme, I only heard of it today because of you. I looked it up and it's involved with the Limerick University. But it should be available in Drogheda. It should be available in Monaghan. It should be available in Meath and Cavan and all the other counties. So in conclusion, let us commit to providing our young people with the support and opportunities they need to lead positive and productive lives. However, let us also remain stern on serious crime and increasing our funding and support for law and order enforcement. Thank you.
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