You may not have noticed that in the Programme for Government, a Greentown Programme was mentioned, with the Government’s intention to expand it nationally.
From its name, you might be forgiven for thinking it is an environmental programme—something to do with a town that is sustainable or promotes positive climate practices.
However, if you thought this, you would be wrong. The Greentown Programme is far from an environmental initiative.
The aim of the Greentown Programme is to “break the link between children and the gangs that seek to recruit them” and “divert young people away from a life of crime through investment in youth justice initiatives,” according to the Programme for Government.
But where did this come from, and what exactly is it?
To understand the Greentown Programme, one must look to Sweden, where efforts are being made to prevent gangs from targeting young people—who would receive less severe sentences than adults—by using them as money mules, having them commit murders, transport weapons, and generally engage in serious crimes.
In Stockholm, it was found that children, some as young as 12, were part of criminal networks. Gangs use money or threats to coerce them into participating, Torsten Alm, a police investigator for serious crimes in southern Stockholm, told Radio Sweden.
Some children are lured by money—often far less than what an adult criminal would receive—while others become involved because their families are threatened.
According to Stockholm police, half of those arrested during a recent crime wave in the city were under the age of 18.
In one criminal network in Sweden, children as young as 12 received orders from gang leaders to carry weapons instead of more senior gang members.
An increasing flow of Swedish criminals into nearby Denmark has also been reported. Danish authorities have noted that many of the recruits are young.
Danish police charged two Swedish teenagers with attempted murder in September 2024, stating that they had been hired by cooperating Swedish and Danish organised crime gangs. Police also revealed, according to Politico, that they were investigating around 25 similar cases.
“Child soldiers are being recruited by gangs to attack each other,” Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said at the time.
Following Australia’s lead, ministers in Sweden’s government have been considering imposing age limits on social media in an effort to prevent gangs from recruiting young people online to carry out murders and bombings in the Nordic region, Reuters reported.
They have also increased sentences for gun offences and, as of September, were considering lowering the age at which criminals can be held responsible for their actions.
In the first seven months of 2024, 93 children under the age of 15 in Sweden were suspected of involvement in planning murders—three times more than during the same period in 2023, according to police statistics.
Why are children getting involved?
Even questioning underage suspects differs from procedures for adults, as they are considered vulnerable.
In Ireland, a specialist interviewer must be present, and juvenile suspects are given more breaks than adults, meaning the interview process takes longer.
A parent or representative—such as a social worker or peace commissioner—must also be present on the child’s behalf.
The age of criminal responsibility in Ireland is 12, meaning anyone that age or older can be convicted of a crime. However, sentencing, much like in Sweden, is less severe for individuals under 18 than for those legally considered adults.
If a suspect is between 12 and 14 years old, the Director of Public Prosecutions decides whether to press charges, and the case is brought before a juvenile court.
In cases of serious offences, the child would likely appear in juvenile court initially, but the judge may refuse jurisdiction and refer the case to the Circuit Court, which has stronger sentencing powers.
Sentencing is ultimately at the judge’s discretion, but more leniency is typically shown to convicted minors.
Why discuss Sweden and Denmark when we are in Ireland?
Because the issue has spread here, and the Greentown Programme is an attempt to combat it.
Established in 2020 by the Department of Justice, the programme specifically focuses on improving outcomes for children at risk of, or already engaged in, criminal networks.
It has been in place at two trial sites since 2021 and has been extended for a further three years. Each trial site has an annual budget of around €500,000, and the intervention is managed by a qualified community-based organisation with government funding.
The programme has two main goals:
- To reduce the influence of criminal networks on children at risk of involvement.
- To improve the likelihood of extrication and pro-social outcomes for children already involved in criminal networks.
Designed for the Irish context by the Research Evidence into Policy Programmes and Practice (REPPP) project at the University of Limerick, the initiative was developed with assistance from international experts.
The programme not only aims to disrupt criminal networks' recruitment of children but also offers an intensive support system for young people and their families.

Over the last two years, there have been notable improvements in reducing the influence of criminal networks in the trial site communities, according to the Department of Justice.
The department reports that children and families are now better equipped to resist the “powerful attraction” of criminal network membership and make positive choices.
Support comes from the Garda and expert youth justice services specialising in family support and engagement with hard-to-reach young people.
Overall, the Greentown Programme seeks to prevent the scale of criminal exploitation seen in Sweden and Denmark from taking hold in Ireland—any more than it already has. Like it or not, research has shown that gangs have been recruiting young people nationwide for quite some time.