Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2024
742. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of juvenile liaison officers, by rank, attached to the Meath Garda division in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44521/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the deployment of personnel and as Minister I have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this deployment under review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure optimum use is made of available resources.
I am advised by the Commissioner that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) are specially trained to fulfil a key role in implementing the Garda Diversion Programme. Their role includes the administration of formal and informal cautions, as well as appropriate supervision of children who have been admitted to the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme, as provided in Part 4 of the Children Act 2001.
The intention of the programme is to divert children and young people who have engaged in criminal or anti-social behaviour away from the criminal justice system and towards more positive life choices. Children who commit criminal offences are considered for admission to the Programme.
Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) are a fundamental support to the operation of the statutory Garda Diversion Programme. These projects are community based multi-agency crime prevention initiatives, which are funded directly by my Department. YDPs seek to divert young people who have become involved, or are at risk of becoming involved, in crime/anti-social behaviour away from future involvement with the criminal justice system.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that at the end of September 2024, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 115 Juvenile Liaison Officers nationwide, an increase of over 5% since the end of December 2020.
I am informed that at the end of 2020 up to the end of 2023, and as of 30 September 2024, there were fewer than ten JLO's assigned to Meath.
I am advised that data is not released by An Garda Síochána for counts of fewer than 10 for data protection reasons.
