Extern Ireland

19/10/2026

A massive congratulations to Adriana Gerhart, Administrator for the Bail Supervision Scheme Cork, on receiving the MST 'Whatever it Takes' Award.

Nominated by Clare O Connor, Adriana was recognized for her extraordinary dedication, professionalism, and unwavering support. Over the past year, she has gone above and beyond - not only keeping operations running seamlessly in Cork, but also stepping up to support our team in Limerick during a prolonged vacancy.

From solving behind-the-scenes challenges to providing a warm, approachable ear to colleagues, Adriana truly embodies what it means to do "whatever it takes." Her hard work ensures our team can focus on delivering the best possible outcomes for the young people and families we serve every day.

Thank you, Adriana, for your exceptional commitment and impact.

12/10/2026

Extern welcomes the focus in this weekend's Sunday Independent on plans to expand Bail Supervision across Ireland, and junior youth justice minister Catherine Ardagh's recognition of the role that Multisystemic Therapy (MST) can play in supporting young people and reducing reliance on detention.

Delivered by Extern on behalf of the Department of Justice Ireland and the Probation Service, Bail Supervision supports young people to remain connected to their families, education and communities while meeting the conditions set by the court.

We are particularly encouraged to see MST highlighted as part of this conversation. Extern delivers Multisystemic Therapy as the cornerstone of its Bail Supervision Scheme.

The programme is internationally recognised and backed by a strong evidence base in youth justice, and over many years we have seen first-hand the difference it can make for young people, parents and guardians facing some of the most challenging periods in their lives.

By working alongside families, courts and statutory partners, Bail Supervision helps create the stability, accountability and support needed to make positive change possible.

No young person should miss out on a proven alternative to detention because of where they live.

The Depart­ment of Justice is set to roll out an altern­at­ive to deten­tion for juven­ile offend­ers under new meas­ures from junior youth justice min­is­ter Cath­er­ine Ard­agh. The move will help deal with the capa­city prob­lems at Ober­stown in...

07/10/2026

Huge congratulations to Katie Boyce, our MST Therapist in Limerick, on winning a Whatever It Takes award!

Katie was recognised by MST consultant, Simone Fox, for her tireless support of families and her work with our Bail Supervision team in the Midwest. This summer, she helped families who had experienced high levels of trauma to achieve employment, school placements and better adherence to bail conditions.

It is the first Whatever It Takes award for our Limerick team in several years, and we couldn't be prouder.

28/09/2026

Family Fun Day 2026 ☀️

A throwback to our wonderful day in the sun at Erin's Isle CLG!

Once again thank you so much to Finglas Credit Union for their €500 donation which helped make this day happen 💜

04/09/2026

What a day 💛

We filled Erin's Isle CLG with everything a proper summer's day needs — a reptile zoo, face painting, bubbles everywhere, a full sports day, a DJ keeping the energy up, and a BBQ to round it all off.

Days like this are about giving the families we work with in Finglas the chance to relax, play and just be together and the smiles say it all.

Huge thanks to Finglas Credit Union, Scott Bader and Dublin City Airport for funding the day, to our brilliant staff, and to the local businesses who donated prizes and support to make it happen.

12/08/2026

Congratulations, Jessica! 🏆

We're delighted to share that our team member Jessica Farmer, Multisystemic Therapist on the Bail Supervision Scheme in Cork, has been recognised with an MST "Whatever It Takes" award!

This award celebrates the people within the MST community of practice who go the extra mile - and it's richly deserved. Jessica shows up time and again for the families she works with, building strong professional relationships along the way. Her support for her colleagues has been instrumental as the Cork service has grown this year.

This is the second "Whatever It Takes" award to come to Cork this year - a proud moment for the whole team!

Well done, Jessica - this achievement reflects not just your own dedication, but the strength of the whole Cork MST team behind you. 👏

22/07/2026

Extern welcomes Rethinking Remand: An assessment of pre-trial detention in Ireland, published this week by the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT), led by Executive Director Saoirse Brady and authored by Niamh McCormack.

The report shows people affected by poverty, addiction, mental illness and homelessness are disproportionately held in custody before trial, often for want of the right support at the right time.

Among its recommendations, IPRT points to bail supervision as a proven approach to reducing the use of remand. In doing so, it highlights the Youth Bail Supervision Scheme, governed by the Probation Service and delivered by Extern since 2016, as an example of how community-based supports can help young people remain in their communities while awaiting trial. The findings make an important contribution to the ongoing conversation about how best to support people in contact with the justice system and reduce reliance on custody where appropriate.

This reflects what Extern believe: community-based, trauma-informed support, meeting people where they are, should sit at the centre of how community based services are developed to support the justice system.

Read the report here: https://bit.ly/4pxGbR7

20/07/2026

Thanks to the Dublin Airport Community Fund for awarding Extern Ireland €500 towards one of our youth programmes in Dublin💜

Funding will be used to purchase items such as footballs, rounders sets, activity resources, and other age-appropriate sports equipment.

The equipment will be used to encourage positive social interaction, teamwork, confidence-building and healthy lifestyles✨🙌

17/07/2026

🤝 Yesterday our youth justice team welcomed two researchers from DCU, Dr Darragh McCashin and Kelly Razey, for a Day in the Life visit.

Gary, Robbie and Leah gave them a real look at what a day looks like on the ground — from one-to-one sessions with young people, to team meetings and our Early Intervention group. They even got to meet some of the young people we work with.

Darragh said afterwards it was "a wonderful insight into the Extern day-to-day" — and we loved having them. Days like this help connect research with real frontline experience, and we're looking forward to more.

Thanks to the CORD Partnership for organising, and to DCU for coming along! 💜

26/06/2026

Some people make a difference every day without seeking the spotlight. Our colleague Avril Tierney is one of those people.

As Administrator for our Laois-Offaly services, Avril is the calm, capable presence who keeps things running smoothly. She's the kind of person who quietly gets things done, always with kindness, professionalism and a smile.

Now, Avril has achieved something truly remarkable.

She has written Cancer, Chaos & Courage – a deeply personal account of her experience with cancer. Honest, heartfelt and inspiring, the book reflects not only the challenges she faced but also the resilience, hope and courage that carried her through. By sharing her story, Avril hopes to offer comfort and encouragement to others facing similar journeys.

We couldn't be prouder of her. It takes incredible strength to live through such a life-changing experience, and even greater courage to share it so openly in the hope of helping others.

Cancer, Chaos & Courage is available now from Buythebook.ie.

If you're looking for an inspiring read, or know someone who could benefit from Avril's story, we'd encourage you to pick up a copy.