A DISTRICT Judge asked the High Court yesterday to decide whether a State reformatory school was "conducted in accordance with the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church". Mr Justice McCracken reserved his judgment.
Judge James Paul McDonald claimed that last April 20th a youth before him in the Children's Court pleaded guilty to a burglary charge. The 15 year old had been in St Joseph's industrial school in Clonmel the only certified school run by a religious order until asked to leave.
Judge McDonald said he established the youth was a Catholic and the question was whether he could be sent to Oberstown reformatory or Trinity House reformatory.
A solicitor acting for the youth contended it was the fundamental duty of the court to see that a Roman Catholic child was sent to a school run in accordance with the doctrines of that church.
Judge McDonald said that having heard evidence he concluded neither Oberstown nor Trinity reformatory was run in accordance with the Roman Catholic faith.
He allowed bail to the youth, pending a decision whether the services of a part time chaplain and weekly celebration of Mass (in circumstances where there was no religious instruction on the curriculum) was sufficient compliance with the Children's Act in respect of Roman Catholic detainees.