James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I too welcome the Minister of State and support the Labour Party motion. On 20 October 2004, the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, told us that the former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform made it clear in 2001 that the Children Act would take a number of years to implement. It is now almost 2006 and sufficient time has passed in which to implement this Act. I support the Labour Party motion which calls for its implementation without further delay. During that same debate in October 2004, my colleague, Senator Cummins, said some progress had been made in the implementation of the Act but that the words of the Government before the last general election — a lot done, more to do — would be apt in the case of the Children Act. That was one year ago but a lot more still needs to be done to ensure the Act is implemented.

We must, however, question how well we are served by the Children Act or how good intentions towards children are served by the fact that almost 150 children and teenagers have been placed in adult prisons since the beginning of the year in breach of the international treaty which prohibits the detention of juveniles in adult prisons. Over 147 young offenders between the ages of 15 and 17 have been placed in adult prisons such as Cloverhill and Limerick prisons since January of this year. As we all know, adult prisons are most unsuitable for young offenders. I am aware of the efforts of the prison authorities to keep young offenders separate from adults in so far as possible. However, they are obliged to deal with referrals from the courts and the situation is far from ideal.

The practice of placing young children in adult places of detention is likely to be raised before the UN committee on children's rights early in the new year. It will monitor Ireland's implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 1998 the UN report led to the setting up of the National Children's Office and the Ombudsman for Children.

More than half the teenagers in the State's secure prisons for young offenders ended up in adult prisons or were homeless within six months of their release. Of the 57 boys released from Trinity House in 2003, 25 returned home and the remaining 24 ended up in prison, health board residential care or back in secure units.

Juvenile crime is on the increase at an ever younger age. At a most simplistic level, we could perhaps attribute this to the advent of the violent computer games which, in many cases, seem to be played without parents' knowledge or consent or without restrictions being placed on young people. We have been told this time and again. Last June five children aged between 11 and 12 years were arrested in Britain on suspicion of attempted murder of a five year old found with neck injuries. Of course, we are all only too aware of the murder some years ago of little Jamie Bulger which, in many ways, led to the destruction of the innocence of childhood.

In Ireland, a troubled 14 year old set fire to a room with children in it and is now in a special care unit in Sweden costing this State a considerable amount of money. This boy has been in a number of care units since the age of six, has suffered a mental breakdown and has been on numerous medications. His mother is unable to manage him and there are fears for the community if he is released.

Drugs and alcohol have also played a part in the rise of juvenile crime. Anti-social behaviour is making life hell for residents in certain urban and rural areas, particularly the elderly who suffer greatly in districts in which juvenile behaviour is out of control. In my area, some young people are out of control. A middle aged man with a young family was victimised and terrorised by a fire rocket being thrown through his letter-box last week. He was hit in the stomach and spent three days in hospital. Gardaí were unable to access his estate because youths blocked off the entrance which is a tactic also used in drug dealing.

Fine Gael calls on the Government to honour its commitments on the provision of extra gardaí. It is impossible to expect our disaffected young to tow the line without the deterrent of a visible Garda presence.