Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The facility in Thornton Hall is intended to be a temporary one. The Deputy's concerns are not misplaced and we do not want the provision to be permanent. I assure him that during detention in such temporary accommodation, children's basic rights will be maintained, they will be provided with first class education facilities via the local VEC and they will be separated from all adult prisoners. The basic rights of anyone being held in custody will be guaranteed. It is the Department's strong intention that the measure will be temporary.

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