Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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502. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will report on the progress made with regard to the provision of a new Children's Detention Centre at Oberstown, Lusk, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20006/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware I announced in April 2012, following agreement with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, an investment package for the project to expand the detention places and facilities on the Oberstown campus, known as the national children's detention facility (NCDF) project. The main objective of this project is to meet the Programme for Government commitment to end the practice of detaining children in St Patrick's Institution.

My officials in the Irish Youth Justice Service continue to work closely to progress this project with the Office of Public Works (OPW) which is providing the relevant project management services for my Department. The tender process for the award of a contract for the project is currently ongoing and the current projected timeline estimate from the OPW indicates that the first new residential units, to provide sufficient capacity to end the practice of sending 17 year old boys to St. Patrick's Institution, will be available for use by mid 2014. My aim is to deliver suitable detention facilities on the earliest possible date, in a manner that complies with all design, planning and heath and safety requirements. I am also conscious that the Oberstown campus is already the location of the existing children detention facilities and these must remain in operation during the construction project. The overall project for the campus, which will also replace some existing outdated buildings and deliver education, visiting and other ancillary facilities, is currently scheduled for completion by mid 2015.