This article is from page 2 of the 2013-03-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
A JUDGE has branded as “crazy” the lack of places in facilities for juvenile offenders in Ireland.
Judge Patrick Durcan made the comment after being told that there were no beds available anywhere in the country on Friday for juvenile offenders.
Judge Durcan was imposing sentence on a 16-year-old Clare boy who pleaded guilty to a public order offence committed at a Health Services Executive (HSE) in Ennis last January. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of theft from Dunnes Stores last April.
Judge Durcan said he was com- pelled to agree with the recommendation of the Probation Services that a detention order be imposed on the teenager.
He said he would impose two detention orders of four months each.
However, Bláthnaid Connolly of the Probation Services, told Judge Durcan that no custodial beds were available anywhere on Friday.
Judge Durcan said, “This is a crazy situation.”
He said it is a matter for the State to provide facilities for young people.
Inspector Tom Kennedy urged Judge Durcan not to finalise his order without a place being available for the boy.
Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey requested that the Court finalise it’s order. She said that if sentencing was adjourned for a week, there was a danger her client “would run away or kill himself.”
Ms Godfrey added, “The court should make this order today.” The court heard that the boy had suffered from drug abuse problems and suffers from ADHD.
Solicitor for the HSE, Aisling Carr, said a significant number of resources had been allocated to the boy over the past year.
Ms Carr said the boy had missed appointments and not co-operated with his addiction counselor. She said the teenager must co-operate with the services to a certain degree.
The boy’s father told the court that he did not want his son to attend a particular service in Limerick City because issues had arisen with some people from the area.
Ms Godfrey said her client suffered from a “bad form of ADHD.
She added, “His father has tried to stand by his son every step of the way.”
Judge Durcan said the boy had to realize he could not be the sole determining factor of his own immediate future. He said the boy had “abused” any level of freedom afforded to him in the past.
Judge Durcan remanded the boy on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on March 27 for sentence.
He said the HSE had a “particular responsibility in this matter.”