Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Apr 2002

Vol. 552 No. 4

Written Answers. - Detention Centres.

Liz McManus

Question:

137 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of secure places currently available for young offenders; the education and rehabilitative facilities which are available in these institutions; if he has satisfied himself that these are sufficient having regard to the serious problem of juvenile crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12552/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

My Department has statutory responsibility for the provision of residential places for children up to the age of 16 years who are referred by the courts. There are five young offender centres under the aegis of my Department providing residential accommodation for up to 162 children and a programme to upgrade and modernise these facilities is under way. They are: Trinity House, Oberstown, Lusk, County Dublin; Oberstown Boys Centre, Oberstown, Lusk, County Dublin; Oberstown Girls Centre, Oberstown, Lusk, County Dublin; Finglas Child and Adolescent Centre, Kildonan Road, Finglas west, Dublin 11; and St. Joseph's Special School, Ferryhouse, Clonmel, County Tipperary.

Trinity House school is the only secure facility operated by my Department providing 24 places for children in a secure setting and three places in a pre-release unit. A new highly specialised secure unit to cater for an additional six children is being developed at Trinity House, which will bring the total number of places available at Trinity House to 33 by mid-2003.

The young offender centres provide programmes of care, education, training and rehabilitation for children on an individual basis designed to challenge their offending behaviour, develop relationships and build self-esteem. There is a special national school attached to each centre providing a range of suitable programmes in accordance with the primary school curriculum and adaptations of the post-primary syllabi. A designated Department of Education and Science inspector of schools visits and reports on each school. A range of after-school programmes in training and rehabilitation are in place in each centre and these are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

The Government's commitment to children at risk is evidenced by the measures contained in the Children Act, 2001. It proposes a modern statutory framework for the development of the juvenile justice system. In addition to updating the provisions relating to young persons who have been sentenced by the courts, including the obligations of the centres under the aegis of my Department, the legislation will provide for a wide range of early interventions and non-custodial alternatives to cater for children coming into conflict with the law or with serious care needs. It also provides for the establishment of the Special Residential Services Board. The Special Residential Services Board will work in close co-operation with all relevant bodies to facilitate and ensure the efficient and co-ordinated delivery of services to children in respect of whom children detention orders or special care orders are made.

In addition, my Department has commissioned an independent review of the residential requirements for young offenders. The purpose of this review is to ensure that there are sufficient residential places available to meet the needs of the target group in the short, medium and longer terms. A consultant has been appointed and it is expected that his report will be available shortly. The outcome of this review will inform future development plans in this area.