Plan to remove juveniles from St Pat’s

A PLEDGE to end the practice of sending children to St Patrick’s detention centre in the new Programme for Government has been given a guarded but sceptical welcome by the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT).

St Pat’s has long been criticised for housing both adults and 16 and 17-year-old boys, and is breaching the UN convention on the rights of the child by doing so.

A spokesperson for the IPRT said they were “highly concerned” that a new facility at Oberstown, which is supposed to cater for those youths, does not have the funding to progress as planned.

The IPRT said it had sought clarification from then Minister for Children Barry Andrews but that it was “unclear” whether there are any ring-fenced funds for the project.

“There was a 24% cut to the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) budget in 2011, and capital expenditure has been cut from €8.229 million in 2010 to just €500,000 in 2011,” a spokesperson said.

Yesterday, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said while it is the intention that phase one of the development, which will provide places for the 16 to 17-year-age group, will be completed at the earliest possible date, tendering for the project will be subject to government approval and the necessary funding being made available.

Once complete, Oberstown will provide 167 detention places to the courts and will result in all children under the age of 18 years, ordered to be detained, accommodated in purpose-built facilities at a single location.

Brian Purcell, director general of the Irish Prison Service, has acknowledged it is “very difficult” to provide the type of services required for 16 and 17-year-olds in what is essentially a Victorian-era prison.

But he said the reality was that juveniles had to go to St Patrick’s until the new facility in Oberstown is ready.

On one day last month there were 41 boys in St Patrick’s — six 16-year- olds and 35 17-year olds — while annually about 220 16 and 17-year-old boys pass through the facility.

The IYJS, which is responsible for managing children’s detention schools, also maintains that until places at Oberstown are available, St Patrick’s Institution will continue to be used for 16 and 17-year-old boys detained by the courts.

Young people in St Pat’s are particularly vulnerable because they have no independent complaints mechanism.

The Ombudsman for Children Emily Logan has repeatedly demanded teenagers under the age of 18 be moved from the harsh environment of custody to one of care.