asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to a report of evidence given by a prominent priest and doctor at a recent criminal court case; and if, in view of the very serious implications of their statements, he will have this problem thoroughly examined with a view to introducing effective remedies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Evidence in Criminal Court Case.
79.
Mr. Brady
I have seen the newspaper report referred to by the Deputy. I do not accept the suggestion that this country has made no attempt to rehabilitate delinquents not do I accept the statement that 90 per cent. of Irish crime is preventable.
As I have said, publicly, more than once in recent months, I am anxious that more should be done for the prevention of crime and the rehabilitation of offenders and in that connection I set up an inter-Departmental Committee last September to inquire into our present methods, giving attention in particular, to such matters as juvenile delinquency, the probation system, the institutional treatment of offenders and their after-care. This is a committee of persons with specialised knowledge of their subject and, as I mentioned in the Dáil last week, on my opening speech on the Estimates for my Department, I have received from them a number of practical recommendations to some of which I have already given approval, including the appointment of Prison Welfare Officers, the introduction of corrective training courses for certain classes of prisoners, and the provision of psychiatric treatment for prisoners in need of it.
Is this Committee authorised to extend its inquiry to the facilities available for the rehabilitation of children in Marlboro House, in view of the fact that Marlboro House administratively is subject to the Minister for Education and not to the Minister for Justice?
Strictly speaking, Marlboro House does not come within the terms of reference or the scope of the activities of this Committee, though naturally, in its work, the Committee will have close consultation with the officials of the Department of Education who are responsible for its administration.
Could the Minister reassure me that, in the course of its deliberations, the Committee will at least consider the desirability of providing some psychiatric service for the children detained in Marlboro House?
The Deputy will appreciate that that, strictly speaking, is not a matter for me, but in all these matters we will be working in the closest possible co-operation with the Minister and Department of Education.
Perhaps the Minister is not aware that for close on 30 years this business of passing the buck between the Department of Justice and the Department of Education has proceeded in regard to this matter. Perhaps the Minister would consider asking his colleague, the Minister for Education, in respect of this particular in any case, to charge himself with responsibility for consulting this Committee and placing before it any information it may require, or even of asking this Committee to extend its inquiry to Marlboro House in the special circumstances?
I have no knowledge of any passing of the buck. The line of demarcation is clear. My Department is responsible for St. Patrick's and the Department of Education for Marlboro House and reformatory and industrial schools generally. The inter-Departmental Committee includes a representative of the Department of Education, and already discussions have taken place in a general way about industrial schools, Marlboro House, and so on, in the context of the problem of juvenile delinquency.
I should like the Minister to bring this specific matter of the investigation and provision of psychiatric treatment to their attention.
I suggest the etiquette of the situation demands that the Leader of the Opposition put that question to the Minister for Education.