Paul Delaney

I am an addiction professional, practitioner, clinical supervisor, and educator with over 30 years’ experience working at the intersection of restorative justice, behavioural change, and social inclusion.

I am the Coordinator of the Cornmarket Project located in the South East of Ireland, where I lead a range of community-based programmes supporting individuals affected by addiction, homelessness, offending behaviour, and social exclusion. My work focuses on integrating restorative justice, trauma-informed care, and motivational interviewing to support meaningful engagement, accountability, and long-term change. I have developed and delivered restorative approaches across community, justice, and wider social settings, with a strong emphasis on preparation, victim inclusion, and ethical practice. A central aspect of my work is supporting the translation of restorative values and principles into consistent, high-quality practice. This includes working with community, statutory, and policy stakeholders, including through multi-agency forums, to support the development of restorative approaches, where relational methods are key to influencing sustainable change, and contributing to the development of accessible, community-based, and online supports. I have been actively involved with the European Forum for Restorative Justice for many years, including serving as Chair of the Training Committee, supporting practitioner development across jurisdictions.

I would like to see the European Forum for Restorative Justice continue to strengthen its position as a leading voice for restorative justice across Europe, with a clear focus on bridging the gap between values and principles and their consistent application in practice. This includes greater visibility and influence at policy level, particularly in areas such as diversion, community sanctions, and responses to harm that move beyond purely punitive approaches. Supporting organisations and statutory bodies to adopt restorative approaches in a meaningful and sustainable way will be important, and this often requires a relational and collaborative approach. At the same time, I would like to see continued recognition of the role restorative practices can play across a range of settings, including communities, education, and social services, while maintaining a clear focus on quality and integrity of practice. I would welcome the opportunity to support the continued growth and engagement of membership across Europe, particularly in ways that bring in a broad and diverse range of practitioners, organisations, and lived experience voices. Strengthening connections across the membership can support shared learning, deepen practice, and enhance the Forum’s collective impact, while also contributing to its longer-term sustainability and financial resilience. Overall, I would like to see the Forum continue to translate its strong values base into consistent, high-quality practice across different contexts.

I would bring a practical, grounded perspective shaped by over three decades of experience across community, probation, prison, and policy contexts. My contribution would focus on supporting the translation of restorative values and principles into practice, particularly through strengthening training, practitioner development, and the sharing of practice-based learning across jurisdictions. I would also bring experience of working with statutory and government bodies, where I have found that relational, respectful engagement is key to influencing systems and supporting sustainable change. I would approach the role with a focus on ensuring that restorative justice is experienced not as an abstract concept, but as a practical, relational process that supports real change for individuals, victims, and communities.

Paul Delaney leads one of the most impressive restorative projects in Ireland, the Cornmarket Project in Wexford. This project combines restorative justice, and social, therapeutic, and practical support to people who are traumatised and who use drugs to survive and who have harmed others and have been harmed by others. This project has generated an amazing social enterprise which offers training and employment to those who are recovering. Paul leads through his commitment to the values and principles shared by the European Forum for Restorative Justice and his ability to enable a diverse staff group to grow and learn. He is also a skilled trainer. He has already demonstrated his commitment to the Forum through chairing a very experienced Training Committee. In short, he brings values, integrity, leadership, and the ability to manage finances.

I am very pleased to support Paul Delaney’s candidature to the Board of the European Forum for Restorative Justice. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to appreciate Paul’s consistent and thoughtful contribution to the EFRJ, including his involvement in the Training Committee and his role as Chair. His work is characterised by a strong commitment to restorative values, together with a clear capacity to translate them into practice. His extensive experience across community, probation, prison, and policy contexts is complemented by strong leadership in training, organisational development, and strategic thinking. What I particularly value is his ability to connect vision and implementation in ways that are both grounded and forward- looking. I am confident that his contribution will meaningfully support the EFRJ’s ongoing development and impact.

Email: pdelaney3@gmail.com

Organisation, job title: The Cornmarket Project, Coordinator