Alcohol involved in most referrals to garda youth scheme

Underage drinking is the most common type of offence committed by young people in Ireland, according to the first annual report of the Garda Youth Diversion Programme.

The report said alcohol-related offences were the most common reason for referrals to the programme in 2004, followed by theft.

The scheme was set up to help troubled young people avoid patterns of behaviour that can lead to criminal activity.

One of its main policies is restorative justice, where an offender meets his or her victim.

A total of 177 such meetings took place last year in relation to a range of crimes like robbery, criminal damage, assault, public order breaches and road traffic offences.