asked the Minister for Justice if a juvenile (name supplied) when released from Marlborough House, Dublin, on 19th August, 1969, was released to the custody of his parents; if this 14½ year old juvenile was detained for two days in the Bridewell, Dublin; if so, why; if the crime record of this juvenile's twin brother was wrongly taken into account when a sentence of two years detention was imposed on him; and, if so, if he will order the immediate release of this boy.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Detention of Juvenile.
28.
Allegations on the lines of this question, and others as well, that have been made by this boy's father have been sent to me in writing by the Deputy.
I am satisfied from the Garda reports I have seen that the allegations that have been made are, in all material respects, unfounded and irresponsible.
In particular, the allegation that there was a confusion of identity between this boy and his twin brother, with the result that the court was misled as to his criminal record, is untrue. The fact is that both boys have extensive criminal records.
Marlborough House is under the control of the Minister for Education. The boy had to be detained in the Bridewell for two days as he would not be accepted in Marlborough House owing to his previous misconduct there.
While what the Minister has said is more than likely true, is it not a fact that this boy was released from Marlborough House and not to the custody of his parents? Secondly, is it a fact that he was reported missing and was being searched for by the gardaí and that during that time he was in custody in the Bridewell? Will the Minister state if it is right for a juvenile of 14½ years to be detained in the Bridewell without notifying his parents? Would the Minister say why investigations were not made as to the correct address of this boy? At present letters are coming from Daingean Reformatory to an address completely different from that of his parents? Is the Minister aware of that? I have seen these letters myself.
I do not know what the Deputy has seen, but in my experience I have never seen such a record as that of this gentleman and his family. The fact is that this boy is a pathological liar, that he misled the gardaí, gave them a false address and told them his parents were down the country. I can well understand that if he came into one garda barracks they were given one address not knowing where he really was. His parents have not turned up to courts and have not given any assistance to the authorities. The father is mainly concerned with selling the story to the yellow press in England at the moment and no doubt, in this bargaining the Deputy's question here will be of considerable assistance to him.
I do not doubt what the Minister has said but in view of what he said about the boy being a pathological liar, this is terribly important. Will the Minister now ask that this boy be examined by a psychiatrist with a view to him having the necessary psychiatric treatment? Does the Minister think that putting him in a reformatory is the answer, in view of the home environment to which the Minister referred?
In fact we have already had a psychiatric report on this boy. I do not accept that every criminal will be cured by psychiatric treatment or that such is necessary, Neither do I believe in the theories advanced about young people such as that because their mother saw sumething like a puck goat during her pregnancy it has had a shocking effect on the progeny for all time. I think there is no substance in these theories but for what it is worth, there was a psychiatric report made on this boy.