Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1897. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the ratio of staff to detainees at Oberstown Juvenile Correction Centre; the number of recorded attacks on staff in tabular form, in each of the years 2015 and 2016 and to date in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26684/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Based on information provided by Oberstown Children Detention Campus, I can confirm that the campus currently has 265 staff employed. Of these staff members, 182 are employed in front line work, working directly with young people. In relation to young people detained, Oberstown Children Detention Campus is licensed to accommodate up to 48 boys and 6 girls on campus. As of today, 9 June 2017, there are currently 37 children on campus.

Attached below is the recorded number of attacks on staff in 2015, 2016, and 2017 to date.

A key priority for me is ensuring that Oberstown is safe and secure for both children and staff. In pursuit of this, a number of reviews have been conducted, including health and safety, operations, security and behaviour management. I have established an Implementation Group, which includes representatives from Oberstown staff and management, the Board of Management, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, a child development expert and also representatives of the IMPACT Trade Union. The Implementation Group is tasked with analysing the recommendations from the reviews and setting out the requirements and issues which require to be addressed to allow their implementation, as appropriate.