andDr. Thornley asked the Minister for Education if he will indicate when the recommendations of the Kennedy report with regard to the provision of facilities for children requiring residential care will be fully implemented.
41.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Child Residential Care.
40.
andDr. Thornley asked the Minister for Education the total number of facilities for children requiring residential care that are currently available and in operation; the number of outmoded facilities in which the work of reconstruction and adaptation has begun to bring them up to the recommended standard; and in how many cases provision has been made to begin reconstruction and adaptation.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose taking Questions Nos. 40 and 41 together.
The building of the first of the group units at a number of residential homes is shortly about to commence. Provision of further such accommodation will be made as soon as the first units are completed and experience has been gained in relation to them. I cannot at this stage indicated when a general programme of the provision of such accommodation would be completed.
The total number of reformatory and industrial schools—the residential institutions for which I have responsibility—is 32 and the number of children in these schools totals about 1,700.
Did the Minister not say on March 2nd in this House that it would shortly take place?
This is the building of the group units?
Yes.
I have stated that here and, in fact, so far as I am aware one unit has started.
When the Minister says "shortly" what does he mean?
As far as I know the building of the first of the group units has started.
Where?
I may have that information on a later question.
Would the Ceann Comhairle allow the Minister to finish these questions?
Is the Minister aware that there is an opinion held that young people should not be sent to an institution as such but should rather be grouped in small family type groups during the period of detention?
There are, of course, many opinions held but the fact of the matter is that we are concerning ourselves here with creating group units. In fact, in some of the present institutions a breaking-up into units has been taking place but we are also building the group units referred to by the Deputy.
In future, if members of one family are remanded they will be allowed to stay together irrespective of their ages?
I think a wrong impression may have been given recently in that regard. It has been suggested that boys and girls are not catered for in the same institution but the fact is that boys and girls are catered for in the majority of residential homes or industrial schools.
Up to what age?
I have not got that information.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.