Vol. 395 No. 1
41 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the call made by a Dublin district justice for the establishment of a secure centre for female juvenile offenders when he refused to dismiss charges of assault against a 15-year-old girl, despite a direction from the Director of Public Prosecutions; the progress which has been made towards providing such a centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The need for a secure unit for longer-term girl offenders has been referred to the Department of Justice for urgent consideration by a high level interdepartmental group, currently considering all aspects of detention of offenders. The committee are expected to report in a matter of weeks.
Arrangements are currently being made to relocate the remand and assessment centre for girls known as Cuan Mhuire from its present location in Whitehall, Dublin 9, to Oberstown, Lusk, County Dublin. This relocation became necessary because of the expiry of the lease under which the Department held the Whitehall property from the order of nuns who own it.
