Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 623 to 625, inclusive, together.

Special Care involves the detention of a child for his or her own welfare and protection in a Special Care Unit (SCU) on order of the High Court. SCUs differ from ordinary residential care in that the Units offer higher staff ratios, on-site education as well as specialised input such as psychology and child psychiatric services. The child is not detained as a result of criminal offences, but is placed by a High Court Order.

On 26 June 2014, there were four young people on the waiting list for special care. The current average length of wait is approximately five weeks.

A very small minority of children have highly specialised needs that require specialised secure psychiatric interventions and secure general placement outside the State.

The placement of Irish children in care in secure psychiatric facilities outside of the Irish jurisdiction by Order of the Irish High Court occurs within the framework of Council Regulation (EC) – otherwise known as the Brussels 11 bis Regulation. The High Court retains regular oversight of these placements. The Child and Family Agency maintains governance and oversight via its statutory obligations to children in the care of the Agency.

The Units in which the children are placed are inspected and monitored by their national authorities and the Agency is attentive to the standards of care delivered in these specialised units.

The following table sets out the most up to date position on the numbers of children placed in national High Support Units and Special Care Units in Ireland and those placed in secure units outside of the State.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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626. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the Crannóg Nua high-support unit has ceased operations; and if it is currently being refurbished with a view to it being used to provide special care places next year. [27954/14]

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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647. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the provision of high-support services for young persons aged 12 to 17, specifically the Crannóg Nua facility, Portrane, County Dublin; the planned redesignation of the service to special care; if funding has been agreed for this project; if a construction team has been appointed to complete the project; when Crannóg Nua will be established and formally opened to provide a service in the area of special care; if he will outline current demands for special care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28479/14]

Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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658. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the ceasing of high-support services for young persons aged 12 to 17 in a centre (details supplied) and the designation of this service to special care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28551/14]

Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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659. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funding has been agreed for the reopening of a centre (details supplied) in County Dublin as a special care unit; the timeline for this centre to reopen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28552/14]

Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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660. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his current plans for a centre (details supplied) in County Dublin when it reopens; the number of beds that will be available at this unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28553/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 626, 647 and 658 to 660, inclusive, together.

Special Care involves the detention of a child for his or her own welfare and protection in a Special Care Unit on order of the High Court. Special Care Units differ from ordinary residential care in that the Units offer higher staff ratios, on-site education as well as specialised input such as psychology and child psychiatric services. The child is not detained as a result of criminal offences, but is placed by a High Court Order.

There are three Special Care Units in the country which are operated by the Agency under a single national governance arrangement. They are Ballydowd in Dublin for girls and boys, Gleann Alainn in Cork which is for girls only and Coovagh House in Limerick for boys only. At any one time approximately 0.3% of all children in care are detained in the three Special Care Units. As of 26th June 2014 there were 16 children placed in the Special Care Units and four young people awaiting a placement. The current average length of wait is approximately 5-weeks.

These Units are inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority with positive findings from the most recent inspections undertaken in 2013.

As part of the Child and Family Agency's commitment to develop a comprehensive continuum of care services to meet the divergent and complex needs of all children in care, Crannóg Nua High Support Unit in Portrane is to be redesignated to function as a Special Care Unit. I am advised that the last child left Crannóg Nua on 23rd June 2014. There are approximately 30 days remaining in the tendering process for the appointment of a construction team who will provide the upgrade of the current buildings and an additional new build residential unit, to enable the Centre to provide secure care. The Agency has advised me that in excess of €1m has been allocated to progress national special care development projects for 2014 and discussions are underway regarding further significant amounts required in 2015 and future years.

The Agency has advised that eight special care beds will be provided at Crannóg Nua by the end of June 2015 and a further four beds will be provided there by the end of October 2015. These timescales refer to the current indicated Building Programme and may be subject to change.