Dr. Niall Muldoon:

We have pushed for a long time for all young people to be moved out of the adult prison system, and that is imminent. As far as I can tell, the children (amendment) Bill will provide for that last move and the young people currently in Wheatfield will move out there. Oberstown is certainly a step forward because it is focused in a different way. It is not seen solely as custodial. There is education provision, therapeutic services and access to psychiatric services and there is also the ability there to change a child's life. That is what we are looking for, namely, that opportunity for life to change. They will not all take it. Some will stay on the path they are on, but the opportunity and the availability of different options is there.

We would also be eager to build on trying to keep young people out of Oberstown. The concept of last resort is what Oberstown should be, so the judge should be looking at the Garda diversion programmes. That is something which has not got enough credit. Much good work is being done in those situations where children are being prevented from taking that final step. We have tried to find different ways to do that and they have worked very well. We want to make sure that we do not use Oberstown for every single opportunity there is involving a young person who has committed a crime. From our point of view, Oberstown is a huge step forward. I have been there a number of times since they started building last year. I have linked in with the campus director. Our staff have been out there during the induction of new staff. They have told them about our complaints system and how we work. That is a very big step forward and I hope we will build on it. There will probably be another intake soon. The idea that we are a presence out there is something I want to make sure we build on. That means young people, the parents and the staff know that if something goes wrong and they have not been suitably looked after, we are available to them. That is crucial and it is something that was very difficult within the prison system, but it has been taken on much more within Oberstown. I look forward to that being something we can build on.