Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the waiting time that applied in the cases of the three young persons who were approved and are awaiting a special care placement and the one young person approved and awaiting a high support placement on 23 October 2012; if those young persons had received their placements on 23 November 2012; the number of children awaiting placement in high support or special care unit residential places on 12 December 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56772/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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There are three designated special care units in the country where children are detained on order of the high court for their own safety. There is a unit in Ballydowd in Dublin, Gleann Álainn in Cork and Coovagh House in Limerick. There are two National High Support Units in Ireland, Rath Na nÓg, Castleblaney and Crannóg Nua, Portrane.

As of the 23rd October 2012, there were 3 young people approved and awaiting a special care intervention and one young person approved and awaiting a placement in a High Support Unit. The HSE has advised me that one of these young people was removed from the list on 31st October; one was placed in special care on 11th December 2012 and the third young person was removed from the list on 12th December 2012 as they no longer required a special care intervention.

The HSE has advised me that as of 12th December, one young person has been approved for and is awaiting a special care intervention.

With regard to the young person awaiting the high support placement, the HSE has advised that the young person is currently on transition into a high support residential unit. The HSE has advised me that as of 12th December 2012, there are six young people currently under review for placement in high support.