Oberstown staff shortage at centre for young offenders may hamper expansion plan

A critical staff shortage at the Oberstown detention centre for young offenders could upset plans to open three additional units on the campus, an Oireachtas committee has been told.

Ursula Kilkelly, chair designate of the Oberstown board of management, said there should be more flexibility on staff salaries to make working at the centre more attractive.

The north Dublin facility currently has 20 boys on remand and 27 serving sentences. There is just one girl serving a sentence and the youngest child is aged 13.