Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 8 Nov 1995

Vol. 457 No. 8

Written Answers. - Juvenile Offenders.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

118 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Education the required number of places for juvenile offenders; the number of offenders that could not be accommodated during the last six months due to lack of facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16375/95]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

It is not possible to be precise regarding the number of places required for juvenile offenders. Demand for such accommodation can vary from day to day depending on decisions taken by the courts. Experience with the operation of the present industrial school facilities indicates that the 130 places currently available in these schools are adequate to meet present and likely demand.

In the case of reformatory school places, there is growing pressure on the 60 places currently available for young male offenders in the 14 to 16 age group. There is also occasional pressure on the 16 places available for young female offenders.

To address this issue, Minister of State, Deputy Currie, recently announced proposals to develop an additional 28 to 30 reformatory school places for boys and seven additional places for young female offenders.

It is estimated that approximately 100 instances have arisen over the past six months where admission to a young offender centre was initially declined due to lack of accommodation. The great majority of these cases related to short-term remand placements where accommodation was subsequently provided, usually within a short period of the initial referral.

The Deputy will appreciate that where short-term remand places are concerned, the availability of places can vary significantly from day to day and even from hour to hour. This is best illustrated by the fact that over the period in question, in excess of 190 children were accommodated in the 39 remand beds available in Dublin.

I assure the Deputy that I am of the view that no young offender should have to be released because of lack of suitable accommodation. I am satisfied that the measures which I have outlined will make a significant contribution to ensuring that adequate accommodation will be available in the future.