Judge demands minister open detention beds ‘now’

A row over the chronic shortage of detention centre spaces for young offenders has intensified after a judge demanded immediate action from Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald to deal with the crisis.

Judge Ann Ryan said the “hands are tied” of the country’s juvenile courts as they are forced to let potentially dangerous youngsters back onto the streets while eight beds are left unused in a detention centre due to staffing problems.

She was told yesterday at the Dublin Children’s Court that there are 36 operational beds to hold boys aged under 17 at two facilities in north Dublin — Oberstown Boys Centre and Trinity House detention school — which are capacity-filled most days.