Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 8, line 10, after “of”,” to insert “and by the deletion of “as far as practicable and where it is in the interests of the child”.

This is very clear. It is about where a remand centre is part of a children's detention school. When children are remanded in custody to the centre the legislation as currently stands says that "as far as is practicable" they be kept separate from, and not allowed to associate with, children in respect of whom a period of detention is being imposed. This amendment is to remove the term "as far as practicable" because it gives a little too much wriggle room to achieve an objective which, we agree, should be that they should be kept separate. It is better to be clear about it. I believe that we need to firmly set out that children on remand and those in detention should not be put together. The children who are on remand may never end up with the sentence of detention, most of them do not and they may be there for other reasons. It is entirely inappropriate to have these children in with children who have been convicted, some of serious crimes. I believe this amendment will remove that prospect.