Young offenders launch boat

THE name of the boat, Charge Sheet, moored in Malahide yesterday provided a wry clue to the background of the young men who painstakingly restored the vessel over the past 12 months.

The six teenagers are all spending varying periods of detention at the Finglas Child and Adolescent Centre having been convicted of criminal offences.

However, thoughts about their troubled background were kept firmly offshore as the mermaid sailing class vessel was formally launched by Minister for Children Brendan Smith at the Fingal Sailing School in Malahide.

All the participants are based in the Finglas centre — an assessment and remand facility run by the Irish Youth Justice Service for males aged under 18.

“Charge Sheet is the story of three years of hard work, persistence, coupled with passion and commitment from a group of young boys from many different backgrounds and countries,” said Colette Walsh, manager of the Finglas centre.

Ms Walsh claimed the project had proven an overwhelmingly positive experience for the group who had previously had no knowledge of sailing.

“Their time with us should be a wake-up call. When you get involved in a project like the boat restoration, you come alive and learn many new things about yourself.”

Following the success of the Charge Sheet project, the programme will continue with sail training for other new arrivals to the Finglas centre who will also soon begin work on refurbishing another boat.

The group’s commitment and hard work was also praised by the Children Acts Advisory Board chief executive Aidan Browne who said the initiative should encourage other organisations to carry out similar projects.