asked the Minister for Education if he will state (1) the number of children detained in industrial schools or other institutions (a) arising out of the provisions of the School Attendance Acts and (b) because of the destitution of their parents, and (2) the average cost per head to the State of maintaining children at industrial schools or other similar institutions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Children in Industrial Schools.
The only institutions which are my concern in which children of the categories mentioned in the Deputy's question are detained are industrial schools certified under the Children Acts.
The numbers detained in the categories mentioned are: (a) under the School Attendance Act, 159; (b) because of destitution of parents, 1,115.
There are also under detention 2,656 children committed under Section 58 (1) (b) Children Act, 1908, as amended by the Children Act, 1941, on the grounds of lack of proper guardianship or having no home or settled place of abode or visible means of subsistence.
Since the beginning of 1952, the rate of capitation maintenance grants payable for children in industrial schools was 30/- weekly (15/- State grant and 15/- local authority grant). The Association of Managers of Industrial Schools has been making strong representations to my Department for the past five years that these grants were inadequate to cover the cost of maintenance and I have decided, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Health, to have these grants increased from 1st April, 1958, to 45/- weekly—State grant 22/6 weekly and local authority grant 22/6 weekly.
Bearing in mind the very considerable numbers of children who appear to be detained in industrial schools, arising out of the provisions of the School Attendance Act, does the Minister have their cases regularly reviewed, with a view to returning them to their families where it is reasonable to anticipate that in the future they will be sent regularly to school?
There is an inspector of the Department specifically assigned to industrial schools and I think it is part of his functions to investigate the merits of these cases.
May I bespeak the good offices of the Minister with special reference to this category of children so that they will not be left permanently in industrial schools, especially where there is a genuine expectation that their future attendance will be good?
I shall ask the inspector to look into the matter, but I might add that the word "permanently" might create a wrong impression. They would all be entitled to be released at 14 years of age.
For the purposes of childhood, that is surely permanently.