There are five residential schools for young offenders run by the Department of Education.
Of the five schools for young offenders, three (all in Lusk) are reformatory schools and two (one in Finglas and one in Clonmel) are industrial schools. The terms "reformatory school" and "industrial school" are due to change shortly to the new term of "children's detention schools".
Trinity House School
This school, opened in March 1983, is the State's most secure unit for young offenders. The boys are generally aged 14 to 15 on admission. As well as its 24 places, the school provides up to three pre-release places for boys nearing completion of their sentence to prepare them for independent living. The annual cost of keeping a child here in 2002 was €246,752.
Oberstown Girls' Centre
This is the only residential facility run by the Department of Education for young female offenders.
It provides residential accommodation for up to 15 girls and comprises three units, a remand and assessment unit, a long-stay or committal unit and a pre-release unit. The annual cost of keeping a child here in 2002 was €177,931.
Oberstown Boys' Centre
Provides residential accommodation for up to 20 boys for long-stay (committal) and remand purposes. The boys who are admitted are between the ages of 12 and 16 with an average age of 14 to 15. The annual cost of keeping a child here in 2002 was €249,283.
Finglas Child & Adolescent Centre
It currently provides accommodation for up to 12 boys. Boys are normally remanded to the assessment unit for three weeks to allow an assessment to be carried out, while committals to care and education unit are for periods of up to a year. The boys are generally aged between 10 and 15. The annual cost of keeping a child here in 2002 was €245,556.
St Joseph's Special School
The Clonmel school provides residential accommodation for up to 40 boys. St Joseph's caters for offending and non-offending children and specialises in long-term care, with boys remaining in residence for up to four years. The boys committed could be as young as nine, but no more than 15. The annual cost of keeping a child here in 2002 was €142,628.