Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, residential care in detention centres is very demanding work. We have appropriate practices in place to deal with those violent incidents, as Deputy has described them. They take place in every detention centre. We want to reduce these to a minimum, ensure staff are supported and that appropriate interventions are in place to support both staff and young people and ensure best practice is immediately implemented when there is an incident like that. I have appointed a very highly skilled board, led by the chairman, Mr. Joe Horan, whose members are very experienced in the law and young people. Great care and attention is being given to the issues the Deputy has described in order that they are handled in the best possible way and staff are supported.

There is very active union engagement on the campus over a long period. There has been much involvement with the Labour Relations Commission. Yet another roster assessment is going on at the recommendation of the Labour Relations Commission to examine the question of rosters and staff ratios. It has been a very troubled issue on the campus but progress has been made. It should be a great source of support to the staff that the Government has made the investment in building and staff recruitment to ensure the kinds of issues the Deputy described are kept at a minimum and the support services are in place, which both the staff and children need.

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