Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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19. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of permanent full-time staff employed in youth detention centres and their roles; the number of roles covered by agency staff; the turnover of agency staff; the strategic plan to ensure stable personnel structures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23055/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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At present there are a total of 237 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) staff employed in Oberstown Children Detention Campus. The breakdown of these posts are detailed in the following table:

Recent recruitment campaigns have resulted in the filling of posts for: 2 Deputy Directors, 2 Unit Managers, 20 Residential Child Care Workers, Staff Information Officer, H and S Investigation Officer

Agency staff are utlilised to ensure service delivery across the campus. There are currently 14 agency staff employed in the Oberstown Children Detention Campus. The breakdown is:

There are ongoing recruitment campaigns to backfill the vacancies. There has been a turnover in the last year of 14 agency Residential Child Care Workers which has resulted in 10 leaving Oberstown and 4 being successful following a recruitment campaign for Residential Child Care Workers.

In order to provide a stable personnel structure there is continuous support for staff across the campus. This includes a Campus Support Service on a 3 day a week basis, an Employment Assistance Programme, a robust training and development plan and a Further Education programme. There is also an agreed roster with a focus on work life balance. There are ongoing efforts to improve the working environment across the campus.