New legislation which makes it an offence for an adult to either force or encourage children to engage in any criminal activity has come into force.
The Criminal Justice Act 2024 makes it an offence for an adult to either force or encourage children to engage in any criminal activity.
Those found guilty of the new offences may face imprisonment of up to 12 months on summary conviction and up to five years on indictment.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said children may get involved in crimes like drug dealing, drug running and petty theft, which can escalate to more serious crimes.
This can mean their prospects for work, travel or a normal life in the future is "completely annihilated", she said, and they end up in prison or elsewhere.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said in cases where children are growing up in a family involved in criminality, there are a number of measures being taken to "break those links", but where that is not the case, the new legislation applies to any person who entices a child, who grooms, coerces or forces them into crime.
"As of now, our laws recognise that damage," she said.
The Greentown Programme provides intensive wraparound supports and interventions for young people either at risk of or already influenced by criminal networks.
Minister McEntee said that through the programme, gardaí are focused on vulnerable children, teenagers and those as young as seven, eight or nine years of age.
She said that children are being targeted by criminals and organised crime groups and are being enticed with money and access to whatever they want, but for so many, they are already coming from poverty or a challenging background.
The minister that those who exploit extremely vulnerable people need to be penalised for it.
In a post on social media platform X, the Taoiseach Simon Harris said: "Our new law making it an offence for an adult to force or encourage children to engage in any criminal activity commences today.
"Thanks Helen McEntee for all the work on this. A really important step to protect children and target organised crime groups."
