Vol. 524 No. 4
158 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) who was released to the care of his mother because the State could not provide appropriate care arrangements; if he will take immediate steps to provide a proper placement in view of the fact that he is an at risk child and highly likely to re-offend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22837/00]
I understand the Deputy is referring to the case of a boy in respect of whom the court made an order on 12 October to have him detained in Mountjoy Prison. This order was subsequently quashed and the boy was released. An order was then made to have the boy committed to Trinity House on Friday 20 October when a secure place will be available.
While every effort is made to have convicted children accommodated in appropriate facilities as required by the courts, difficulties do occasionally arise in accommodating placements for individual children on the first date on which placement is sought in any particular unit due to pressure on places on a given day. In general, the child in these circumstances is either subsequently placed in that unit or in one of the other facilities as an alternative to, or pending the availability of, a place in the original unit of preference.
