Children up in court 'are asking to be sent to Oberstown rather than into special care'

Oberstown Detention Centre. The Ombudsman's director of investigations Nuala Ward told the Oireachtas committee that children say: 'At least at Oberstown I have a release date'. File picture

Children appearing before the courts are asking to be sent to Oberstown detention campus rather than going into the special care system, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

The Children's Ombudsman has said the special care system is crying out for help and the children in it are not being appropriately provided for.