Progress has been in made in providing juvenile detention places but under-18s are still being held in adult facilities, the Special Residential Services Board (SRSB) said today.
Labour Justice spokesman Joe Costello
Launching the SRSB's first annual report since it was set up on a statutory basis, chief executive Roger Killeen said today: "Progress has been made in providing suitable residential care for children. However, there is room for further dedicated residential provision and community support."
Mr Killeen expressed concern about the amount of children still being held either in or within the vicinity of adult facilities but confirmed a report in today's Irish Timeswhich said plans will be brought before Cabinet soon to end the practice of jailing children in adult prisons.
The Prison Service confirmed to The Irish Timesthat 147 young people aged between 15 and 17 have been placed in adult places of detention such as St Patrick's Institution, Cloverhill and Limerick prisons since January this year. One child was 15 years of age, 28 were 16 years old and 115 were aged 17.
"We would advise very strongly that places of detention different for under-18-year-old, young people should be away from prisons not beside adult prisons not beside them not on the same grounds as them and that regime of care should operate in them," Mr Killeen said.
He told RTE radio that he expected plans to go before the Cabinet within a matter of weeks.
Labour justice spokesman Joe Costello said the figures were "shocking" and the practice contrary to the terms of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.
"No matter how conscious a prison regime is of having children and teenagers in its care, a prison environment is harmful to children," Mr Costello said.
The SRSB, which advises the Government on the detention of children said 211 children were provided with education and accommodation in 2004 while a further 55 young people were housed in special care units managed by the Health Service Executive.
The annual report covered its activities from 7th November 2003 to 31st December 2004. It that the parts of Children's Act (2001) which had been implemented had been useful and that full implementation would result in further progress, particularly in inter-agency co-operation.
The report shows 34 per cent were detained for robbery and theft, followed by car theft, criminal damage and assault. Just 8 per cent of offences related to burglary followed by public order offences (7 per cent).