asked the Minister for Justice the facilities, or arrangements, for after-care of children who have been in public care in institutions funded by, or under the direct control of, his Department; the amount of money allocated for such purposes; and the individuals or agencies to which such moneys are paid.
Written Answers. - After-Care of Children.
361.
The only children who could be said to be in public care in institutions funded by or under the direct control of my Department are boys in the 12 to 16 age group detained in Loughan House, the Special School at Blacklion, County Cavan.
Where, under section 69 of the Children Act, 1908, a boy is conditionally discharged from the school to return to his parent's home or to stay with friends, it is made a condition of the discharge that he accept supervision by the Probation and Welfare Service of my Department. Where a boy is discharged other than to reside with his parents or friends, accommodation is made available to him in a hostel. These hostels are run by voluntary committees which are supported by grants from my Department and they provide accommodation for older boys also. To date boys from Loughan House have been accommodated in Sarsfield House and in Lions Villa.
The amounts paid by my Department to the committees of those two hostels in respect of 1979 were £16,827.78 and £21,691.60 respectively.
Where a boy has completed his full period in the school he is discharged unconditionally. In such a case counselling and advice facilities are only provided by the Probation and Welfare Services for the boy and his family if they are prepared to accept those facilities. The Probation and Welfare Service provides similar facilities on the same basis for boys discharged from other special schools operating under the aegis of the Department of Education.