James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government commits us to end the practice of detaining children in adult prison facilities. Significant progress has been made in implementing this important objective. Before this Government took office, both 16 year old and 17 year old boys were detained in the adult prison system. The transfer of responsibility for 16 year old boys to the children detention schools was implemented in May 2012. The Government commitment will be met in full this year when the extension of the Oberstown campus will result in the transfer of responsibility for 17 year old males from the adult prison system to the children detention schools. On 19 February 2015, three 17 year old boys were detained on remand in St. Patrick's Institution and the number of 17 year old boys serving a sentence of detention in Wheatfield Prison was 12.

The Oberstown capital development project will enable the extension of the child care model of detention. This focuses on education and rehabilitation to minimise reoffending and will apply to all those under 18 ordered to be detained by the courts on criminal justice charges. The development will also provide associated education, recreation, visiting, security and other ancillary facilities. It will mean that all detention services for children are delivered in a single location, maximising the scope for ensuring best practice standards and for operational efficiencies.

The first five units of new residential accommodation have been handed over to the Oberstown campus. To ensure safe and secure custody of children in the new buildings and to meet the appropriate health and safety standards, a period of training and orientation is required for newly recruited and existing staff, testing of equipment and the fitting out of the new units. This process is continuing and is due to be completed shortly.

To transfer responsibility for all 17 year old boys, we need to achieve the required complement of new care staff to work in the expanded facilities and the passage of necessary legislation to ensure that all legal issues are fully addressed.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

A campaign is ongoing to recruit in excess of 60 new care staff for the operation of the expanded Oberstown campus, and 38 staff have been recruited to date. My Department is progressing the necessary legal changes required to transfer responsibility for 17 year old boys from adult prison facilities by amending the Children Act 2001. It is intended to publish as soon as possible the Bill that will give full effect to these amendments and to enact the legislation without delay. When these steps have been achieved, the practice of detaining children in adult prison facilities will cease as early as possible this year.

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