'Continued concern' over referrals deemed unsuitable for youth diversion programme

Youth worker Eddie D'Arcy: 'If considerable additional resources were put into trying to divert this most at-risk group at the earliest possible age it could have the most impact on reducing young adult offending behaviour.'

Considerable additional resources need to be put in place to divert juveniles — who have been refused admission to the youth diversion programme (YDP) — from the criminal justice system, a youth worker has said.

Eddie D’Arcy said a significant number of children, around one in seven of all referrals, are deemed “unsuitable” for the YDP and are sent back to gardaí for prosecution in the courts.