Rising number of young people in Oberstown are detained there for 'very serious offences'

Half of those detained there had a mental health need, and 70% had substance misuse issues

The annual report of Oberstown Children Detention Centre says a growing proportion of young people there are detaied for very serious offences. Picture: Iain White/Fennell

The country's main detention facility for young people has said there has been a rise in the number of young people detained on longer sentences for very serious offences, including causing death.

This is making it hard for some to commit fully to specialist programmes when they know they will transfer to prison later on.