Detention will be a "last resort" in dealing with young offenders once new legislation comes into force in March, Minister for Children Brian Lenihan promised today.
Publishing his seven-year spending plan today, Mr Lenihan said the Children's Act 2001 will commence in March and that the Government would put in place the services needed to rehabilitate young offenders and divert them away from crime.
Minister for Children Brian Lenihan
Some €12.3 billion will be spent on services for children and families between 2007 and 2013 under Mr Lenihan's spending programme.
Mr Lenihan said the funding, an element of the National Development Plan (NDP) published last week, represents "an historic investment by the Government in the future of our youngest and most vulnerable citizens.
"Over the last ten years, real progress has been made in improving the quality of life for children across the social spectrum. We have come a long way in our treatment of children at policy level, and the creation of the Office of the Minister for Children was an important milestone in that development," he added.
"The inclusion of a dedicated development Programme for Children for the next seven years in the National Development Plan is another milestone. More than that, it is concrete evidence that children's issues are now at the centre of Government."
Some €49 million has been allocated for capital expenditure on the re-designation of existing residential institutions for more specialised care and high support. A further €224 million will be spent on the Youth Justice Sub-Programme, Mr Lenihan said.
"The establishment of the Irish Youth Justice Service in late 2005 was the first step in the creation of a modern youth justice system.
"I will be commencing the Children's Act 2001 in March. We will put in place the services needed to rehabilitate young offenders and divert them away from crime. Detention will be a last resort in dealing with young offenders."
Under the programme, a total of of €1.3 billion will be allocated to the National Childcare Investment Sub-Programme with the target of generating 50,000 new childcare places by 2010. These will include 10,000 pre-school places and 5,000 school-age place, the Minister said.
Mr Lenihan said the programme will also be an important element in the overall social inclusion project to remove barriers to employment, education or training and to tackle educational disadvantage.
Over the lifetime of the NDP, €3.4 billion will be invested in child welfare and protection.