Vol. 502 No. 3
48 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons serving custodial sentences; the number on remand; and the number referred for assessment in each of the children's centres each month for each of the past two years. [7794/99]
The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled in my Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
My Department has responsibility for the operation of five custodial facilities for young offenders. Four of these centres cater for young male offenders and one caters for young female offenders.
All of the centres have a capacity to cater for children placed on long-term committal. Four of the centres also cater for children placed on remand and two centres cater for children placed on remand for assessment.
The Deputy will appreciate that the number of children held in each of the centres, under each of the categories mentioned, can change from month to month and it will take a little time to compile from the records of the individual centres.
The average number of children accommodated in the five centres during February 1999 under the headings mentioned by the Deputy was as follows: long-term placements – 105; short-term remands – 22 and remands for assessment – 20.
