Parliamentary Question: Juvenile Offenders

7th February 2001

146. Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has satisfied himself with the provision which is currently made for the detention of 16 to 19 year old girls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2758/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue): Female offenders aged 17 years and over may be committed on remand or sentenced to imprisonment to Mountjoy and Limerick Prisons. Sixteen year old female offenders are generally committed to institutions which are run by the Department of Education and Science and are committed to prison only in exceptional circumstances. This can only occur in cases where the court certifies under the provisions of sections 97 and 102 of the Children's Act, 1908, that the young person cannot be detained in a Department of Education and Science institution. Such committals are used only as a last resort by the courts and the number of 16 year old females committed to prison each year is low.

My Department provides two centres for the detention of women: the Dóchas Centre at Mountjoy Prison, which I opened in September 1999, and a 12 place unit at Limerick Prison. Planning for a new, purpose designed facility for females to replace the existing facilities at Limerick Prison is at an advanced stage.

I am not satisfied that there are appropriate facilities in place for the detention of young female offenders. The provisions of the Children Bill, 1999, currently before the House reflect the need to improve the manner in which young offenders are managed in the criminal justice system. The legal provisions for the committal of offenders under the age of 18 years will change on enactment of the Children Bill, 1999, which proposes that where a court imposes a detention on a child, it shall: (a) where the child is under 16 years of age, order the child to be detained in a children's detention school operated by the Department of Education and Science; (b) where the child is 16 or 17 years of age, order the child to be detained in a place of detention provided by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Under the provisions of the Bill, separate dedicated secure detention centres will be required for the accommodation of 16 and 17 year old offenders. In this regard the prison building programme includes provision for a 100 place unit with full support facilities in the Dublin region comprising separate secure detention for up to 20 females and 80 males. Sites, including some on existing State owned land, are being examined at present to identify a suitable location for this facility as a matter of priority.

The primary objective of these detention centres will be to afford young offenders the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to avoid future offending by the creative design of high quality purpose built facilities and the provision of high grade support services delivered through a progressive regime tailored to their special needs.