Law change possible as seven children freed from detention

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald is to look at possible changes to the law after a High Court ruling resulted in the release of seven children from a young persons detention facility.

The judgement by Mr Justice Gerard Hogan followed a case which highlighted the absence of remission for those in Children Detention Schools. Remissions are commonplace in the adult prison system. The case brought before the High Court related to the detention of a young person in Oberstown Boys School under Article 40 of the Constitution.

In a statement, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs said, on legal advice, it was making the necessary arrangements to immediately release seven children from the Children Detention Schools, Oberstown, Lusk, Co Dublin.