Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number and location of all detention places for young offenders; the average monthly occupancy rate in each facility in 2007 and 2008; and his plans for additional places to be put in place for young offenders. [28664/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to offenders under the age of 18 who are detained by Order of the Courts.

In relation to the four Children Detention Schools, which come under the remit of the Irish Youth Justice Service, an executive office of this Department, the information requested is as follows:

~ located on Oberstown Campus near Lusk, Co. Dublin

* 'Rate' is Average Monthly Occupancy Rate

In addition boys aged 16-17 years are currently detained in St. Patrick's Institution, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, which is a closed medium security place of detention under the remit of the Irish Prison Service. St. Patrick's houses males aged 16 to 21 years and has a bed capacity of 216. It had 57 places occupied, on average, by under 18 year olds in 2007, while in 2008 the corresponding figure was 59 places.

In March 2008, the Government approved the development of new national children detention facilities on the Oberstown campus. This project will increase the number of children detention places available from 77 to 167. It is currently at the design stage and it is expected that the tendering process for construction should take place in 2010. The Deputy will be aware, however, that tendering for the construction of the new facilities will be subject to Government approval and to the necessary funding being made available.