Children Detention Schools

Detention – an option of last resort

When a child commits an offence and is charged then s/he appears before the Court. The Court can choose from a number of community sentences to deal with the offence. If the offence is dealt with in the community, then the child can stay in their own school and be part of their community, but still take responsibility for the consequences of their offending behaviour. It is important as part of growing up for a child to stay in contact with their families and community.

However, sometimes because of the type of offence committed, the Court will send a child to a place of detention (see Children Detention Schools).  Before sending a child to detention, the Court will try to make sure that there is no other option available that would address the offences which the child has committed. 

Children Detention Schools

A child can be ordered to be detained by the Court to either a detention school or to St. Patrick’s Institution in Dublin.  The Courts will only sentence a child to a detention school as a last resort.

The Children Act 2001 as amended, has transferred responsibility for detention schools from the Minister for Education and Science to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Act also states that the detention school model of care, education and rehabilitation will be extended to include 16 to 17 year-olds.

The legislation makes it illegal to now order the detention of a child (with effect from 1 March, 2007) under 18 years to a prison.  There are currently four detention schools where a child can be ordered to be detained by the Courts. These are:

• Trinity House, Lusk;
• Oberstown Boys School, Lusk;
• Oberstown Girls School, Lusk;
• Finglas Child and Adolescent Centre;
• St. Patrick’s Institution (for 16 and 17 year-old boys for a transitional period).

The Irish Youth Justice Service is responsible for the existing children detention schools and is taking steps to develop children detention school places for 16 and 17 year-olds. Until these places are available, St. Patrick’s Institution will continue to be used for 16 and 17 year-old boys.

St. Patrick’s Institution 

St. Patrick’s Institution is managed by the Irish Prison Service. At the moment, it is a closed institution for male offenders aged 16 to 21 years. Plans have been made for separate accommodation for the majority of 16 and 17 year-old boys, pending the further development of the children detention schools.

Publications

First Progress Report of the Expert Group on Children's Detention Schools

Children Detention Schools Newsletter August 2007