A NEW REPORT has been released that outlines how Ireland plans to tackle youth crime in the next five years.

The Youth Justice Action Plan is a combined commission from the Department of Justice, the Department of Children and the Irish Youth Justice Service.

It will form part of the National Anti-Crime Strategy being developed by the Department of Justice and Equality as part of the White Paper on Crime process, with its focus on crime reduction and safer communities.

In the report, there are five goals: ensuring confidence and investment, strengthening the data that is used, to strengthened targeted interventions, promoting the use of community measures, including restorative justice and making detention centres safe.

The report has been welcomed by both ministers responsible, with Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald saying that the resources for facilities were being provided.

“This Government has grasped the challenge of ensuring that proper facilities will be available in a suitable setting by committing over €50 million to the development of the new national children’s detention facility (NCDF) campus at Oberstown. I am happy that the first of these new facilities will be delivered in the third Quarter of 2014.”

She was echoed by Justice Minister Alan Shatter, who said that the plan was “testament to the joined up Government approach to the promotion of integrated policy and service delivery in respect of these vulnerable children.”

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