Róisín Shortall
Ceist:127 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of minors who received custodial sentences in each of the past five years. [12243/02]
Written Answers. - Juvenile Offenders.
For the purpose of this question, a minor is taken to be a person under 18 years of age. Statutory responsibility for the provision of spaces for young offenders under the age of 16 years lies with the Minister for Education and Science. I have statutory responsibility for the provision of spaces for persons over 16 years of age.
While the figures requested by the Deputy are not readily available, I can, however, inform her that on 29 January 2002 there were 94 persons under the age of 18 years detained in penal institutions under the aegis of my Department. It should, of course, be noted that a small number of these persons may have been remanded in custody pending a further court appearance rather than actually serving a custodial sentence.