Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:372 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans to make a commitment to cease the practice of committing juvenile offenders to adult detention facilities. [13591/03]
Written Answers. - Juvenile Offenders.
As the Deputy may be aware, the Children Act 2001, now in the course of phased implementation by the relevant Departments, shifts the emphasis away from residential-custodial care to care in the community, for children aged under 18 years, in the juvenile justice and welfare systems. Thus the Act stipulates that detention of a child is to be an absolute last resort. In replying to Parliamentary Question No. 183 of 13 May 2003, I have indicated what is being done by way of early intervention as a measure to address the needs of children who may come before the courts or get in trouble with the law.
Under the provisions of the Act, I will be obliged to provide separate, dedicated secure detention centres for the accommodation of 16 and 17 year old offenders. These secure detention centres, called children detention centres, will operate under their own unique regime which will cater specifically for the needs of juvenile offenders.
The provision of these facilities has been identified as a priority by the Irish Prison Service. As the Deputy is probably aware, I recently announced that I have accepted the recommendation of the Commissioners of Public Works that a proposed Irish Prison Service development at Newlands Villa, Clondalkin, including the construction of a children detention centre, should not now proceed. The identification of another site for the proposed juvenile detention centre is now being pursued by the Irish Prison Service in consultation with the Office of Public Works.
I wish to advise the Deputy that pursuant to a Government decision of April 2002, it was the intention of the service to provide 20 spaces at St. Patrick's Institution for the custody and education of 14 and 15 year old boys but, following a review of accommodation requirements for juveniles, the possibility of moving directly to using the new facilities at St. Patrick's for 16 and 17 year old boys is now under consideration.
Pending the phased implementation of the Children Act, a court intending to commit a young offender aged 17 years and under to custody in an institution managed by the Irish Prison Service, has a range of options available, including: committal of an offender aged 16 to 17 years – and up to 21 years – to St. Patrick's Institution; committal of an offender aged 17 to one of the prisons designated to cater for committals of adults remanded or sentenced by that court; or where an unruly certificate under the Children Act 1908 exists, committal of an offender aged 15 and 16 years to an adult prison.
I am not empowered to interfere with the exercise by a court of any particular option available to it under existing legislation.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:373 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the targets he has in relation to the provision of specialised detention units for juvenile offenders in pursuit of the full implementation of the Children Act 2001. [13593/03]
Under the provisions of the Children Act 2001, I am obliged to provide separate, dedicated secure detention centres for the accommodation of 16 and 17 year old offenders. These secure detention centres, called children detention centres, will operate under their own unique regime which will cater specifically for the needs of juvenile offenders.
The provision of these facilities has been identified as a priority by the Irish Prison Service. As the Deputy is probably aware, I recently announced that I have accepted the recommendation of the Commissioners of Public Works that a proposed Irish Prison Service development at Newlands Villa, Clondalkin, including the construction of a children detention centre, should not now proceed. The identification of another site for the proposed juvenile detention centre is now being pursued by the Irish Prison Service in consultation with the Office of Public Works.
I also wish to advise the Deputy that pursuant to a Government decision of April 2002, it was the intention of the service to provide 20 spaces at St. Patrick's Institution for the custody and education of 14 and 15 year old boys but, following a review of accommodation requirements for juveniles, the possibility of moving directly to using the new facilities at St. Patrick's for 16 and 17 year old boys is now under consideration.