St. Patrick's Institution to close tomorrow

St. Patrick's Institution in Dublin's north inner city will close on Friday.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Francis Fitzgerald announced the news in the Dáil last week.

The courts will now send all those committed aged 17 to Oberstown Detention Centre.

Independent Councillor in North Dublin, Christy Burke, says the closure is long overdue.

"Well firstly I welcome the closure of St. Patrick's Institution," he said.

"I think it's long, long overdue given the history of investigations, visiting commitees making recommendations, independent commitees making recommendations and young men, young teenagers, finding themselves incarcerated.

"A lot of them would have progressed on to Mountjoy."