Dept 'regrets' sending children to remand institutions

The Department of Justice has said it deeply regrets not being more proactive in trying to find suitable places of detention for children who came before the courts in the 1950s and 1960s.

Giving evidence to the Child Abuse Commission today, an official from the department acknowledged that it had responsibility for the juvenile justice system during the two decades.

James Martin said his department deeply regretted not taking a more proactive role in assessing over-16s before sending them to remand institutions.

However, he said there were no mechanisms in place at the time to carry out full assessments.