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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Jun 1993

Vol. 433 No. 1

Written Answers. - Detention Centre Statistics.

Nora Owen

Question:

266 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education the number of young people who have spent time in Trinity House, Lusk, County Dublin, and have subsequently spent time in Mountjoy Prison, St. Patrick's Training School or other places of detention; and if she will make a statement on the level of rehabilitation occurring in Trinity House.

A total of 340 boys have been admitted to Trinity House School since it opened in March 1983. It is known that some 97 of these boys were subsequently admitted to the institutions referred to by the Deputy as follows: seven to Mountjoy Prison, 88 to St. Patrick's and two to Cork Prison. However, full long term data on the subsequent carers of all boys is not available.

The rehabilitation programme followed at Trinity House School is an integrated one encompassing all aspects of the care and education of the boys. Individual programmes are devised to suit the needs and circumstances of each boy with input from the multi-disciplinary team of staff at the school, that is, care staff, teachers, psychologists etc. The short term success or otherwise of the rehabilitation programme for each boy is closely monitored at the school and adjustments made where considered necessary. However, the Deputy will appreciate that assessment of the long term benefits of such programmes both for the lives of the boys and for society generally is a complex and difficult matter.

Nora Owen

Question:

267 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education the number of escapes or abscondments that have taken place in the last 12 months from Trinity House, Lusk, County Dublin, and Oberstown House, Lusk, County Dublin; and the way these numbers compare to the previous 12 months.

During 1992, three boys absconded from Trinity House School. In the same period a total of 28 boys absconded while on authorised outings from the school or failed to return to the school from authorised home leave.

The comparative figures for 1991 are that six boys absconded from within the school itself while 15 boys absconded from authorised outings or failed to return.

The position regarding Oberstown boys centre is as follows: in the 12 months June 1992 to May 1993, the number of absconds from the centre was 26, while there were 21 from authorised outings or failure to return. This centre opened in September 1991 and in the period September 1991 to May 1992 there were 13 abscondings from the centre itself and three from authorised outings.

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