A campus for marginalised young people has officially been opened in Ballyfermot following a €1.6m redevelopment.
Candle Community Trust offers therapeutic services, education and training to up to 60 young people on a daily basis.
The project works with young people referred to it by the Probation Service, Garda Juvenile Liaison officers, the Garda Diversion project, the HSE and family groups.
It also works closely with Oberstown Detention Centre, creating a pathway for young people to transition to a supportive environment on release and to continue their education in order to reduce the likelihood of reoffending.
It is co-funded by the Probation Service.
Minister of State at the Department of Justice James Browne officially opened the campus today and described it as an "innovative and progressive facility".
Mr Browne described the centre as "an innovative and progressive facility" that will provide essential services to help young people "build and carve out a better future".
"I am a firm believer that one of the best ways of preparing for the future is by learning and building on the past, and this building provides its students with a foundation from which they can look positively at the future," he said.
"Candle Trust is all about making impactful connections. It's about connecting young people with new ideas, with each other and with the wider world. This campus will enable and support that."
Brian Johnston, Director of the Candle Community Trust, said the campus uses "trauma informed approaches and restorative practice methodologies to provide a wrap-around service to young people".
"The results are a fitting context for a service that espouses to be trauma informed in its thinking and approaches," he said.
In a statement, the Probation Service said that Candle is "at the cutting edge of child centred, trauma informed practice and provides a safe and therapeutic environment for young people, many of whom come from challenging and marginalised backgrounds".
"This significant investment of €1.6m means that Candle can continue to deliver therapeutic services to young people most in need," it stated.
