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Children Detention Schools

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2012

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

Questions (36)

Mick Wallace

Question:

45 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children currently detained at St. Patrick’s Institution, Dublin; her views on the need to introduce interim steps to transfer these 16 and 17 year olds out of that institution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33340/12]

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Written answers

On 2 April this year I announced a series of measures that set out a clear timetable to end the use of St. Patrick's Institution for the detention of under 18 year olds in the next 2 years and a number of intermediary steps that would support the commitment made in the Programme for Government in this regard. These included extending the children detention school model up to 16 year of age, an action made possible by reductions in recent demand for detention places and subsequent spare capacity within the existing children detention schools. I signed the necessary orders to bring this about and since 1 May 2012 any boy aged 16 years or less, newly remanded or committed, has been detained to a children detention school.

As the Deputy may be aware, my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality, Mr. Alan Shatter TD, has the line responsibility for St. Patrick's Institution. In addition to the interim measures I have announced, I have been informed that the Irish Prison Service has instituted a programme of placing suitable under 18 year olds into the community under the supervision of the Probation Service, further reducing the demand for places in St. Patrick's Institution. I understand that it is intended to review the effectiveness of this programme towards the end of the year. As of 4 July 2012 I have been advised that there were 21 males aged 17 years and 1 male, who is completing a sentence, aged 16 years being detained in St. Patrick's Institution.

Also, it may interest the Deputy to know that I have, with the consent of my colleague Minister Shatter, signed the statutory instrument that has extended the remit of the Ombudsman for Children to include those children being detained in St. Patrick's Institution and that this has been in effect since 1 July 2012.

With these measures, I am satisfied that good progress is being made on Government policy on ending the use of St. Patrick's Institution.

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