Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2025
808. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if Oberstown Children Detention Campus is currently overcapacity, and if so, if the details could be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71377/25]
View answerThe maximum number of children that may be detained at Oberstown at a given time is set by me by way of a certificate made under sections 195 and 196 of the Children Act 2001. The certificate currently in force sets the maximum at 46, comprised of 40 boys and 6 girls.
Places in Oberstown are allocated though a centralised Bed Management System (BMS). This system allocates available places on a first come, first served basis. It is a requirement under section 143 of the Act that a court must first establish the availability of a place before it can order a child to be detained in Oberstown on a detention order. The issue of overcapacity does not arise as no child is accepted from a court unless a bed is available.
I note that as of 11 December 2025 there are 39 boys in Oberstown and 0 (zero) girls.
