Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 April 2015
442. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total number of places of detention currently available to cater for juvenile offenders; the extent of rehabilitative or counselling services available to such offenders while in detention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14907/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 3 children detention schools, all located at Oberstown, Lusk, Co. Dublin, currently provide a total of 54 detention places for children ordered to be remanded or committed by the courts, with 48 places for boys and 6 places for girls.
The detention schools cater for boys up to the age of 17 years who are serving a sentence, boys up to the age of 18 years who are remanded in custody and all girls up to the age of 18 years. In line with the Programme for Government commitment to end the detention of children in the adult prison facilities, boys aged 17 newly remanded in custody are being accommodated in the children detention schools since 30 March 2015, where places are available. Boys aged 17 ordered to serve a sentence of detention are currently accommodated in the adult prison system. This practice will cease later in 2015 on completion of the capital project in Oberstown and the enactment of a Bill to amend the Children Act 2001, which is to be considered by Government for publication shortly. In addition to expanding the capacity of the Oberstown site, the project will also deliver associated education, recreation, visiting , medical and other ancillary facilities.
An individual management plan is put in place for each child on admission to the children detention schools which includes a mental health assessment to determine the need for more specialist services provided by the Assessment, Consultation and Therapy Service. This is a national service provided jointly by Tusla - the Child and Family Agency and the children detention schools which provides clinical services to children in detention and also in special care facilities, as well as short term interventions when the child returns to the community.
Appropriate education, training and other programmes and facilities for children are provided by the children detention schools on the Oberstown campus in line with the principles of the Children Act 2001, in conjunction with the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board. The delivery of children detention services is focused on education and rehabilitation of those young people detained in order to address offending behaviour and support their early re-integration into the community.
