Youth Diversion Projects now operational nationwide

• Ministers announce full nationwide availability of Youth Diversion Projects, in line with the Programme for Government and fulfilling a key objective of the Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027
• New Youth Diversion Projects in Clare and Tipperary ensure that any young person who needs access to youth justice services can get them, no matter what part of the country they are in
• Annual conference in Dublin recognises the dedication and expertise of 550 Youth Justice workers
• Total funding for Youth Justice services reaches a record €43 million in Budget 2026

13 November 2025

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan and Minister of State with responsibility for Youth Justice, Niall Collins, today announced that the State’s network of Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) has been successfully rolled out nationwide, making these critical interventions available to young people at risk of engaging in criminal activity no matter where they live in Ireland.

YDPs are community-based multi-agency crime prevention initiatives. They divert young

people who have become involved in crime or antisocial behaviour and support wider preventative work within the community and with families at risk.

Today’s announcement at the Annual YDP Conference in Croke Park follows confirmation that two new YDPs in East Clare and North Tipperary, run by Foróige, are now in operation, bringing the total number of projects across the country to 94.

Today’s Conference provides Youth Justice staff with an opportunity to connect with their colleagues, share their experiences and showcase best practices to address the specific needs of young people who engage with YDPs.

Speaking at the Conference, Minister Jim O’Callaghan said:

“Youth diversion is a key priority for Government because we know diversion is effective. Despite year-on-year population growth amongst 12–17-year-olds, the number of children coming to the attention of the diversion programme has generally decreased, and in recent years has remained steady at about 8,000 each year.

“This shows that offending by children, when compared to population growth, is declining.”

As part of Budget 2026, a significant additional allocation of €7.3 million in core exchequer funding will be provided for Youth Justice measures to support the ongoing implementation of the Youth Justice Strategy.

This brings the Government’s investment in Youth Justice initiatives to €43 million, a 22% increase on Budget 2025.

Minister Jim O’Callaghan added,

“Today’s conference recognises the dedication and expertise of Youth Justice workers who are changing the lives of young people for the better. The invaluable work done by nearly 550 Youth Justice workers each year has an undeniable positive impact on the lives of children, their families, communities and society as a whole.”

The Government’s focus on youth diversion and interventions is a cornerstone of the Youth Justice Strategy, which is a robust and forward-thinking plan designed to address the unique challenges faced by those young people in Ireland who are most at risk of engaging in criminal activity.

At its core, the Strategy emphasises early intervention, prevention, family support, and community engagement. This approach is informed by international standards and backed up by evidence.

The Strategy includes key objectives aimed at promoting positive behavioural change, and it is only by targeting this behaviour that we can break the cycle of offending by young people.

Minister of State Niall Collins added:

“Youth Diversion Projects provide an invaluable support to complement the work of An Garda Síochána in addressing youth crime and protecting local communities.

“Their successful rollout across the country now means that all children who come to the attention of the Garda National Youth Diversion Bureau will have the opportunity to engage with the services it provides.

“This fulfils a key commitment in the Youth Justice Strategy and in the Programme for Government.

“I am delighted that since being appointed, I have visited Youth Diversion Projects across the country and see first-hand the positive impact they have on young people and our communities.

“The work carried out by the Gardaí and our Youth Diversion Projects has proven effective in moving children away from pathways that, in the absence of diversion, would very likely lead to re-offending and imprisonment.”