566. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the bail supervision service since its transfer from the Garda to the probation service; the yearly cost for running the service; the counties in which the service is available; the number of young people who have used the service in 2025 and to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53354/26]

The Bail Supervision Scheme (BSS) offers courts an alternative option to detaining a young person who comes before them. It provides for the possibility of granting bail with intensive supervision. By reducing the need for remand places, this also provides an opportunity to focus on developing successful community resources designed to prevent young people being detained in a youth justice facility and reduce the risk of them going further down the path of criminality.

The budget allocated to the BSS in 2025 is €2.1 million.

The BSS currently serves the Children Courts in Dublin, Limerick and Cork (Table 1 below refers). The scheme uses Multisystemic Therapy (MST) and Janus Justice to support families of young people, who appear before the court and receive bail with conditions, to support adherence  to these conditions prior to subsequent court appearances.

Following consultations with the Probation Service and other stakeholders, oversight of the Bail Supervision Scheme transferred to the Probation Service on 1 January 2026. The Probation Service already has vast experience in supervising individuals who come before the courts, and in supporting a number of Community Based Organisations in that regard.

Table 1: Bail Supervision Scheme 2025 - 2026 (1 Jan - 30 Jun)