THE HIGH Court has ordered that a number of at-risk children in the State’s main secure unit at Ballydowd in Dublin be accommodated at another centre being phased in to replace it.
The Special Care Unit at Ballydowd, near Palmerstown, cost €13 million to build nine years ago and has been used to detain up to 18 children and young people. It is due to close after an independent report found it is no longer acceptable for the detention of children.
A unit within Ballydowd was damaged recently when one of the male residents allegedly set fire to a mattress.
A new apartment complex has been built next to it which overlooks it and impacts on the children’s privacy, the report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) found.
The High Court heard yesterday that another building, “Crannóg Nua” in north Dublin, which was built at the same time as Ballydowd but used as a high-support facility, is being phased in to replace the west Dublin centre as a fully-fledged secure unit.
Felix McEnroy, for the HSE, told the court the phased closure of Ballydowd coincides with the introduction of a new regime at Crannóg Nua, located on the grounds of St Ita’s Hospital, Portrane. He asked the court for an order that the new regime at Crannóg Nua should continue for four weeks in relation to three girls formerly in Ballydowd.
When counsel for one of the court-appointed guardians of the girls said they needed to know what management was in place at Crannóg Nua, Mr McEnroy said operations of the facility will be dealt with in the normal way, and this was not a matter for the court.
Mr McEnroy said the use of Crannóg Nua arises out of the recent fire and out of the independent report on Ballydowd by the Hiqa.
Mr Justice Garret Sheehan ordered the Ballydowd regime would continue at Crannóg Nua for a further four weeks in relation to the three girls concerned. Lawyers acting for court-appointed guardians for the girls said they were not opposing the application.