Senator Bacik asks for Debate on St. Patrick's Institution

Order of Business

Wednesday, 16 November 2011

Senator Ivana Bacik: On behalf of all of us, I congratulate the Irish team on the wonderful result in last night's match against Estonia and I look forward to our participation, at last, in the championship next summer in Poland and Ukraine. That will be very exciting and a real morale boost for the country.

I thank my colleagues, Senators van Turnhout and Conway who, yesterday, raised the issue of St. Patrick's Institution and asked what will be done to phase out the use of detention for 16 and 17 year old people in St. Patrick's Institution. There is a commitment to do that in the programme for Government. We heard wonderful presentations last night from Professor Harry Kennedy and Ms Emily Logan, the Ombudsman for Children. I would like a debate in this House on St. Patrick's Institution and a clarification of how it will be phased out for children.