The Justice Minister has announced seven new Garda Youth Diversion Projects aimed at tackling crime among young people.

Frances Fitzgerald has also introduced a pilot mentoring service for young people who repeatedly find themselves in trouble with the law.

Three of the new projects will be based in Dublin, with two in Kildare, one in Tipperary and one in Limerick.

€1.7m from the Dormant Accounts Fund is being provided for the new initiatives, which will see 42 of the existing youth diversion projects trial new mentoring services. 

"There has been significant progress made in tackling youth crime over the recent years," said the Minister.

"However it is important to acknowledge that additional crime prevention and crime reduction efforts such as the Garda Youth Diversion Projects are needed in areas with a high level of youth crime and in areas where an increase in the youth population raises the risks of increasing levels of youth crime.”