asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a statement on the report of the Visiting Committee of St. Patrick's Institution, Dublin, for male juveniles concerning the closure of the educational unit during the summer holiday period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Juvenile Institution.
5.
Everyone connected with the administration of the prisons and places of detention regrets that teaching has to be suspended in the institutions during the summer months. It has to be realised, however, that teachers have relatively long summer holidays and that there is no easy way to ensure that teachers are available in the institutions during the summer months. Discussions with the various interests concerned have been going on for a considerable time and are continuing and it is hoped that the outcome will be an 11-month educational programme in future years but I cannot, of course, guarantee that result.
I understand the difficulty the Minister has inherited here. Will the Minister accept that despite the need for long summer holidays for teachers, with which I agree, in such an institution as this there is a need for a somewhat different approach to the educational needs of the young persons?
I fully accept what the Deputy says.
Secondly, would the Minister agree that it is theoretically possible at present that some of the people going into the institution in question may come in and leave without a day's formal tuition?
Yes.
Thirdly, will the Minister agree that there have been years of protracted discussion between the vocational educational committees and the Department on this and will the Minister do his best to ensure that next summer the young people who are already deprived in so many ways in this institution will at least have the facility of some education in that area.
I will.
I appreciate that.