New bail supervision scheme for youths will be piloted, Reilly says

A bail supervision scheme will be piloted for youths remanded to Oberstown detention centre in Lusk, Co Dublin, Minister for Children James Reilly has said.

In an interview with The Irish Times, the deputy leader of Fine Gael said he hoped the new measure would reduce the number of children on remand at the facility, which is in his constituency.

“We have a problem in relation to remand,” Dr Reilly said. “In other words, the committals of conviction versus those on remand is about 50-50.

“Now that’s way out of kilter with the adult situation, where only 15 per cent would be on remand at any given time,” he said. “So what we’re doing now is putting in place a new initiative around a bail supervision scheme.”

Dr Reilly said he used to be the visiting doctor at Oberstown, where children on remand or serving a sentence are provided with education and training programmes.

Expert team

Under the pilot scheme, Dr Reilly said, when a child is sent on remand into the youth detention centre, a small team of experts will be notified and will assess the child.

“If they think that that child is suitable, they’ll then go and they’ll talk to the parents and do a visit there,” the Minister said.

“Basically, assessment will be done on the child, assessment will be done on the family. If everything is in order, they’ll then go back to court and say to the judge, ‘We think this child will fit this programme; we’ll supervise him, we’ll co-ordinate all the supports’. And, if the judge accepts, then they’ll get on with their programme.”

Dr Reilly said the children involved and their families would be supported with a new structure, including home visits. He said he believed the pilot scheme would be successful and there would be less emphasis on detention in future.

“Obviously what we’re seeking, and what I’m seeking in particular, is better outcomes for the child, and to reduce the number of children who find themselves on remand in Oberstown,” he said.

“I’m very interested to see the kids get the best chance, and they are only children.”