Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 8 Feb 2000

Vol. 513 No. 6

Written Answers. - Accommodation For Young Offenders.

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

145 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science the proposals, if any, he has for the future of the children's centres, the range of services planned, the accompanying building programme, the staffing requirements and the timescale involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3321/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

My Department has responsibility for five centres for the residential accommodation of young offenders up to the age of 16 who are placed on remand or sentenced to detention by the courts.

My colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue, has recently published the Children Bill, 1999. In addition to updating the provisions relating to young persons who have been sentenced by the courts, including the obligations of the centres under the aegis of my Department, the legislation will provide for a wide range of early interventions and non-custodial alternatives to cater for children coming into conflict with the law or with serious care needs.

Development plans have been drawn up by my Department to meet the obligations which will arise under the new legislation. These development plans include for: major refurbishment and updating of the existing facilities at Trinity House, Lusk and St. Laurence's Finglas; the phased replacement of the existing outdated facilities at St. Michael's, Finglas and Oberstown Boys' and Girls' centres; the development of new pre-release units to serve the Finglas and Lusk centres; and the development of a new highly specialised secure unit at the Lusk campus.

The overall development programme will extend over the next five years. Already, the new pre-release unit at Finglas has been completed and is in operation since the middle of last year. The major refurbishment of two units at Trinity House has also been completed. Design teams were appointed last year for the new secure unit at Lusk and for the new national remand and assessment centre to replace the existing St. Michael's, Finglas. The architectural planning of these projects is being progressed with a view to the invitation of tenders later this year.

Arrangements are currently under way for the appointment of further design teams in order to progress the remaining elements of the development programme. The staffing requirements are dealt with in the normal way which follows consultation with local management and Department of Finance approval.