Dr Ian Marder

The Probation Service and six community-based organisations which offer restorative justice in cases where adults are convicted of an offence received a total of 842 referrals in 2024, up from 447 in 2023 — an 88.4 per cent year-on-year increase.

The figures have been revealed by researchers at Maynooth University, working in collaboration with the Probation Service and community-based restorative justice providers.

It is the highest number of referrals since “Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change”, the project mapping the annual use of restorative justice in Ireland, began in 2019.

Following a dip in referrals during and after the Covid pandemic, the 2024 figures represent a 16.8 per cent increase on the 721 referrals to these organisations in 2019.

Also in 2024, 136 restorative justice processes were completed which involved direct or indirect dialogue between the victim and the person who offended against them.

Of the remaining cases completed in 2024, many were offences without direct victims. In others, victims may have declined to participate or were not contactable by restorative justice providers.

Restorative justice provision expanded in 2024 for the first time since 2020. Athy Alternative Project and Northwest Restorative Justice Service offered restorative justice in 2024 for the first time. Other community-based organisations expanded their geographical remits and staffing.

The study also collected data on the use of restorative justice by An Garda Síochána with youth cautions. The data suggest there were 312 restorative youth cautions in 2023 and 298 in 2024.

Research lead Dr Ian Marder, associate professor in criminology at Maynooth University, said: “Continued growth in services and referrals are necessary to give every person affected by crime the chance to decide if restorative justice is right for them.

“The new data suggest that referrals are rising, but most victims are still not offered the opportunity to participate in restorative justice, with less than one per cent of court cases referred each year.

“Restorative justice benefits everyone. It reduces reoffending, meets victims’ needs and helps victims recover from crime. As we increasingly recognise the limits of traditional criminal justice, it is crucial to invest in evidence-based services like restorative justice.”

Rachel Lillis, assistant principal probation officer with the Probation Service’s restorative justice and victim services unit, said: “Restorative justice is an incredibly important process open to victims of crime and harm doers, where both parties voluntarily agree to participate.

“It provides a safe, facilitated space for those harmed to seek answers to their questions and express how they have been affected by their experience.

“For those who have offended, it is a challenging but transformative opportunity to truly face the human consequence of their behaviour, to take meaningful responsibility and to begin a genuine path to reintegration.”

She added: “The increase in referrals is hugely positive, as is the expansion of restorative justice in the community.

“It signals that more victims are being made aware of restorative justice, which is in line with the Probation Service’s restorative justice action plan 2025-2027 and ultimately strengthens and repairs relationships, promotes desistance and reduces crime while repairing harm.”

The 2025 programme for government states that the government will “continue to roll out nationally the voluntary restorative justice programme”.

The Probation Service published a restorative justice action plan in May 2025, proposing to expand service provision, increase referrals, and collaborate across the criminal justice sector to improve access to restorative justice.

The six community-based organisations which offer restorative justice are Athy Alternative Project, the Cornmarket Project, Le Chéile Mentoring, Northwest Restorative Justice Service, Restorative Justice in the Community, and Restorative Justice Services.