Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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88. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 13 May 2014, if he will provide a report on the work of the working group comprising representatives from his Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Irish Prison Service, the Children Detentions Schools, the Child and Family Agency and the Probation Service regarding its work on issues arising from the transfer of responsibility for the detention of 17 year old males from the prison system to Oberstown House; and if he will provide an update on the working group’s consideration of a solution to the position of 17 year olds on remand in St. Patrick's Institution. [27947/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to end the practice of detaining children in adult prison facilities, which under the Children Act 2001 means all young people up to the age of 18 years. The transfer of responsibility for 16 year old boys was implemented in May 2012 and this commitment under the programme for Government will be met in full later this year when the extension of the Oberstown campus results in the transfer of responsibility for 17 year old males from the adult prison system to the children detention schools. The Office of Public Works, OPW, is overseeing the delivery of the project with the contractor involved, BAM Building Limited. I understand there has been some weeks' delay in the construction programme due to weather and other issues but the OPW and the Department continue to emphasise the need to make up any time possible in order to meet the agreed project timeline for delivery of the first three units by the end of this year.

The Working Group referred to by the Deputy was asked to compile a report on all issues arising from the planned transfer of responsibility for detention of 17 year old males from the prison system to the Oberstown campus. The report of the Working Group has not been finalised as of yet but I am aware that many of the issues discussed by the working group are being progressed, including the building project, the recruitment of new care staff, the development of therapeutic services for young people, necessary legal provisions, security planning and communication between all affected agencies. I expect to receive the report shortly.

The position of 17 year old males on remand in St Patrick's Institution will be fully resolved when responsibility for all 17 year old males is transferred to the Oberstown campus later this year. An interim proposal has been suggested which would involve the designation of Wheatfield Place of Detention as a remand centre under the Children Act 2001, pending the opening of the expanded facilities in Oberstown. The current position is that this proposal cannot be implemented for legal reasons. However, I intend to discuss the matter further with my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality after I have received and considered the Working Group report.