merrion street

Children and Youth Minister, Frances Fitzgerald today announced that capital funding of approximately €50 million over three years has been secured to end the detention of 16 and 17 year old boys in St. Patrick’s Institution. The detention of children in St. Patrick’s Institution, which is an adult prison, has been criticised for over 25 years by domestic and international observers as being inappropriate for the rehabilitation of children and addressing their complex needs.

The Minister said:

This is a key investment in addressing the serious problems of Ireland’s most troubled teens. The path from St. Patrick’s Institution to Mountjoy Prison has been too well worn over the years. We must interrupt the predictable path of violence and crime and repeat offending progressing to further serious offending and committals in adult prisons

Nothing costs society more than the cost of crime to individuals and communities and the cost to the taxpayer of cycles of imprisonment for young people who need academic and vocational education and support for complex personal and mental health needs, rather than a further education from older and more experienced criminals.

Commencing on 1st May 2012 all newly remanded or sentenced 16 year olds will be detained in the children’s detention facilities at Oberstown. The plan announced today is comprehensive and fully funded.

Minister Fitzgerald said:

We will make very significant early inroads until, within two years, all those under 18 who need to be detained will be sent to dedicated child-specific facilities on the Oberstown campus. A major step towards ending this practice will be taken on 1 May next when newly remanded or sentenced 16 year olds will instead go to the children’s detention facilities at Oberstown.

The measures being announced today include the approval of approximately €50 million over three years in capital funding to undertake the National Children Detention Facility Project at Oberstown and the delivery within two years of sufficient new facilities at Oberstown to accommodate all children that are subject to detention by the courts.