Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

36. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she plans to publish the operational review of the children’s detention centre at Oberstown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37915/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 36 together.

The Operational Review of Oberstown Children Detention Campus was commissioned by the Board of Management of Oberstown in September 2016. The final report was received by the Board in February 2017.

It is imperative that a report of this kind should observe due process and fair procedures, so that all persons referred to are treated appropriately. The Board of Oberstown has taken legal advice on the question of publication.

On the basis of careful examination, the Board was not in a position to satisfy itself, or me, that fair procedures had been applied before the report was finalised and submitted. In light of this advice, and of my own careful consideration of the matter, I have concluded that it is not appropriate to publish the full report.

However, the recommendations of the report, all of which are at the kernel of how we move forward, were published in July 2017 and are being implemented as part of a significant package of reform in Oberstown.

I am pleased that over the past 2 years there is evidence of positive change in the day to day operations. I met with some young people when I visited Oberstown on a number of occasions in recent months. These young people were anxious that the many positives about Oberstown should be highlighted.

In addition to the Operational Review, the Board commissioned a number of other reports at the same time, with a view to engaging external expertise to support the development of the Campus. These reviews included security, health and safety and behaviour management.

I established a Review Implementation Group which began work in March 2017 and has collated, categorised and analysed these recommendations. The Group’s final report, received in December 2017, produced a coherent plan to implement the various recommendations. Many of the recommendations are matters relating to the operations of the Campus.

Others relate to the oversight, strategy and policy activity of both the Board of Management and the Irish Youth Justice Service within my Department. The updated Action Plan from the Review Implementation Group was completed in May 2018 and was published on my Department’s website.

HIQA is authorised by me under Sections 185 and 186 of the Children Act 2001 to undertake inspections of Oberstown Children Detention Campus. The most recent was an unannounced inspection over 5 days last March.

In this context, HIQA accepted an invitation from Oberstown to review the report of the Operational Review. I would hope that the report of the findings from the inspection, which is due to be published shortly, will reflect the positive improvements at Oberstown. I understand the report will be published in the next few weeks.

A key priority for my Department is the implementation of key recommendations to bring about improvements in standards, which is now well underway. My Department will support and, where appropriate, monitor the changes which need to take place to ensure that international standards and best practice are observed and that any barriers or challenges to maintaining an ethos of care are identified and addressed.