Juvenile Offenders

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 April 2011

Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Questions (113)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

127 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the fact that funding was cut to a WHAD project which made it possible for young persons who were regularly before the courts or who were deemed at risk of offending to reduce and to stop offending and to adopt a law abiding lifestyle including through meaningful community work; the action he will take with the probation service to restore this funding or of he will make an alternative funding stream available to compensate for the loss. [8671/11]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter)

My Department provides funding via the Irish Youth Justice Service to a range of community based projects across the country which operate in partnership with An Garda Síochána and the Young Persons Probation Division of the Probation Service. Due to the current economic difficulties the total funding available for such projects has been reduced for 2011. Consequently, project allocations across the country were reduced and the projects, including WHAD (We Have A Dream), were asked to make savings while doing their utmost to maintain service and activity levels. In view of these circumstances I am not in a position to provide additional funding at this stage.