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Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
Three care workers injured in latest incident at Oberstown
Three residential social care workers have been injured in the latest incidence of violence towards staff at the Oberstown Children Detention Campus . The injuries, which were all sustained in the one wider incident, resulted in two female staff having to be taken to hospital by ambulance while a male staff member also sought medical attention, said staff. The assaults involved a single teenage boy and the female staff involved were said by their colleague to have been kicked in the torso and seriously hurt. The latest incident brings to 13 the number of staff reported to have been injured at the facility since the start of June. READ MORE Fórsa, the union which represents many of the staff at Oberstown, has said there is a big problem with staffing levels at the facility and in an interview with RTÉ radio recently, Koulla Yiasouma, suggested that an additional 20 to 30 care staff are required. At present, about 250 people are employed at Oberstown of whom about 150 are considered frontline, mainly residential social care workers. In the facility's recently published annual report, Ms Yiasouma alluded to ongoing issues at the campus, describing 2024 as having been 'particularly challenging as our occupancy levels have remained high and staffing levels are still a challenge'. 'The needs of some of the young people are increasingly complex and the willingness of the whole staff team to adapt to those needs is remarkable. Privately, however, staff say theyoften feel unsafe due to the numbers on the duty and what they believe are flawed procedures for dealing with the small number of particularly violent teenagers in the units. A survey of staff members conducted earlier this year found a majority believed individual and collective morale was low with many saying they felt unsupported by management and that conditions had become worse over the previous 12 months. Oberstown has a capacity of 40 boys and six girls. Ms Yiasouma said it rarely has a free bed. The annual report details the positive work carried out with the roughly 120 young people who were there at some point last year, citing the numbers who were trained as baristas, fitness instructors and, in one instance, a forklift driver. But there is little acknowledgment, the staff say, of the daily challenges they face. In a statement made in relation to Thursday's incident, Oberstown said it 'offers its full support to any member of staff who has been injured in the course of their duties. As a matter of policy, every incident at Oberstown is subject to a thorough internal reporting and review process, which operates on the principles of supporting all individuals involved and maintaining the integrity of the review. 'Oberstown does not comment on operational details relating to specific incidents. Where injuries occur, individuals are assessed by the on-site medical team and, in accordance with standard procedure, may be referred to hospital for further checks. 'Oberstown has robust safety procedures in place, and all relevant protocols were followed in this instance. The campus was appropriately staffed, and the situation was managed in line with established practice.'
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Irish Times
Oberstown staff member ‘punched in face in unprovoked attack' by young person, union says
A member of staff at Oberstown Children Detention Campus was hospitalised at the weekend following an assault by a young person, according to the Forsa trade union. The alleged incident on Sunday afternoon occurred in the exercise yard of one of the campus's units. The staff member was 'punched in the face several times in an unprovoked attack' and 'had to be taken to hospital where he was X-rayed for a suspected facial fracture', said a union source. The staff source said there were insufficient staffing levels in the yard at the time of Sunday's incident. READ MORE 'This young person has been involved in previous violent incidents on the campus ... They come from a very troubled, traumatic background and to be honest should have had far more intensive interventions far earlier in their life. 'They are probably in the wrong placement now.' The alleged assault comes less than a month after nine staff were injured in an incident involving a young person . That incident, during which improvised weapons were used, resulted in four staff being brought to hospital and a number being signed off work for up to a month, said Forsa. The union source, who works at Oberstown, queried assertions by Minister for Children Norma Foley , whose department oversees the campus, in a written answer to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon last week, where she said the facility was 'not experiencing 'dangerously low staffing levels''. A staff survey conducted by Forsa in the last three months, seen by The Irish Times, found 69 per cent of staff members felt morale was 'low' or 'very low', while 54 per cent said morale had worsened in the previous 12 months. The survey, completed by 120 out of about 175 staff, found 80 per cent felt their workload had increased in the previous 12 months, with 74 per cent saying stress levels had worsened. A separate workplace culture report, commissioned by the Oberstown board of management and published on Friday, found just half of staff felt 'valued as an employee', while 'decision making in the interests of the young people could be improved'. The report, by accountancy firm Forvis Mazars, said 'substantial progress is still required' if the campus is to achieve its 'agreed target culture'. Oberstown's principal objective is 'to provide appropriate care, education, training and other programmes to young people between 12 and 18 years with a view to reintegrating them successfully back into their communities and society', the report noted. However, the centre's 'mission statement lacks clarity regarding the organisation's mandate in returning young people successfully to society' it said. 'While 76 per cent of survey respondents agreed Oberstown is a campus they enjoy working in, just half of staff agreed that they felt valued as an employee,' said the report. 'Cross-campus decision making in the interests of the young people could be improved as observed through focus group discussions. 'In the survey, just 47 per cent of respondents agreed that collaboration was actively encouraged.' On the issue of people development, the report found: 'There is no performance management system in Oberstown, as observed through focus group discussion, documentation review, and the survey where 71 per cent of staff agreed they had never been involved in a performance management process.' Authors found staff felt induction and onboarding systems could be strengthened 'to fully prepare them for their roles'. Just half of respondents agreed they were provided with the necessary information when they joined Oberstown. 'Only 25 per cent of survey respondents believed good performance is recognised at Oberstown and focus group discussions indicated there would be appreciation among staff for more acknowledgment of a 'job well done'.' A Department of Children spokesman said: 'The Department offers its full support to any member of staff who has been injured during the course of their work. As with all circumstances of this nature, these matters will be the subject of internal review. The Department does not comment on operational matters relating to Oberstown Children Detention Campus.' A spokesman for Oberstown said he could not comment on an individual incident, but that the campus 'offers its full support to any member of staff who has been injured during the course of their work'. He said management acknowledged the findings of the culture review, took the findings 'seriously' and were 'committed to acting on them'.
BreakingNews.ie
06-07-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Oberstown Children's Detention facility staff did not suffer 'life-changing injuries', Foley says
The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley TD, has rejected claims that any staff at Oberstown Children's Detention facility suffered 'life-changing injuries' in recent incidents there. In wide-ranging written Dáil replies on the operation of Oberstown at Lusk in Co Dublin, Minister Foley has also rejected claims that the centre is experiencing 'dangerously low staffing levels'. Advertisement The facility currently has capacity 46 - 40 boys and six girls - and Minister Foley revealed that her officials have already asked the Oberstown Director to make preparations to provide for 'a small increase in the near future in the maximum number of boys that may be detained at Oberstown'. This follows Oberstown frequently having no space to cater for remand orders from the courts including one incident last month where a lack of space at Oberstown resulted in two Dublin teenagers, who are accused of being armed with a machine gun during a burglary, being released from custody despite a judge seeking to remand them on detention to Oberstown. The 2024 annual report for Oberstown shows that of the 120 teenagers subject to remand or detention orders last year, only two were female. In his written Dáil question, Deputy Gary Gannon asked Minister Foley the actions being taken in response to the serious incident at Oberstown in which nine staff were injured–four requiring hospital treatment, including one with life-changing injuries and how she justifies operating the facility with dangerously low staffing levels. Advertisement In her response, Minister Foley stated: 'I am concerned that the question asked repeats assertions made about recent incidents at Oberstown which were put into the public domain without consultation or verification and which contain significant factual inaccuracies. 'I would like to correct these inaccuracies and provide important context while being mindful of the sensitivities of the individuals involved. 'All individuals involved in the incidents referred to continue to be fully supported by Oberstown. Where injuries were sustained, following triage by the campus onsite medical team, four individuals were referred to hospital for further checks, none of which resulted in hospitalisation (stays in hospital). 'While it would not be appropriate for Oberstown to discuss details of any personal injuries outside the internal review process, I have been assured by the Director that to date the campus has not received any medical information to support the assertion that any staff member involved in the incidents received 'life-changing injuries'. Advertisement 'It is unhelpful to make unsupported assertions on the nature or potential repercussions of any injury sustained in an incident which is under review." Minister Foley added that 'Oberstown is not experiencing 'dangerously low staffing levels''. She stated that in 2025 Oberstown has recruited 18 staff, 16 of these in the roles of Residential Social Care Worker and Night Supervising Officer. Minister Foley stated that 'of this intake, 17 remain (94.4 per cent) – only one staff member left within six months of joining'. The 2024 annual report for Oberstown shows that its allocation for pay last year totalled €17.18 million. The centre employed 250 including 165 directly involved in the direct front line care of young people. In her foreword to the 2024 report, chair, Koulla Yiasouma stated that 'the year has been particularly challenging as our occupancy levels have remained high and staffing levels are still a challenge". She stated: 'The needs of some of the young people are increasingly complex and the willingness of the whole staff team to adapt to those needs is remarkable.'
Irish Times
05-07-2025
- Irish Times
Teenager charged with arson of house shows no remorse, court hears
A 14-year-old boy showed no remorse for allegedly taking part in a firebomb attack that destroyed an innocent family's home in Dublin and killed their pet husky trapped in the blaze, a court heard. The teenager, charged with arson of the house on Landen Road, Ballyfermot, which was left gutted on May 21st, was denied bail on Saturday. He was remanded to the Oberstown Children Detention Campus after appearing before Judge Maire Conneely at Dublin District Court. The boy, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile with the right to anonymity, made no reply when charged in advance of his court appearance after he was deemed unsuitable for inclusion in the Garda Youth Diversion Programme. READ MORE Objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the case, Garda Alan McGinty recounted that at 2.28am, gardaí responded to a report of a domestic fire at the home. They learned that one resident was asleep in the livingroom, but he woke to the sound of glass smashing and found the room was on fire. The man's wife, son and their dog were in the property at the time. The family got out but the pet husky 'was still trapped inside and died in the fire'. The court heard the innocent family's home was 'totally' destroyed in the attack, after which a witness overheard a male yell 'wrong house'. Evidence was given that two males in balaclavas arrived at the house on an electric bicycle, and the defendant was allegedly the driver, while his passenger carried and threw the burning petrol can. Images of the scene were handed over to the court, which also heard there was CCTV footage, but the judge held it was unnecessary to view the video. She noted allegations that a jerrycan of petrol was bought at a service station three hours before the incident before being brought to and hidden in bushes at a building in the Dolphin's Barn area. It was alleged that shortly before 2:30am, two males arrived in a taxi, put on balaclavas and travelled to Landen Road on an electric bicycle. Garda McGinty alleged that they could be tracked on CCTV and, after the arson, they returned to the Dolphin's Barn area and handed the electric bicycle back to another person. It was alleged that the boy and another male went away in a taxi and the vehicle's dashcam footage has been retrieved, leading to his identification. The jacket he allegedly wore in the taxi was found during a search of his home. Garda McGinty stated that during the interview, the teenager, who has no prior criminal convictions, showed no remorse. The boy, supported in court by his mother and other family members, sat silently at the side of the courtroom and has not yet indicated a plea. The judge noted that no bail terms would alleviate the concerns of the investigation team. A decision has yet to be made on his trial venue but defence barrister Kevin McCrave submitted it was likely the case would go to the Circuit Court, which has greater sentencing powers. He submitted that refusal of bail would mean he could be held for a year before his trial and disrupt his education. He urged the judge to note that the teenager would abide by a myriad of strict conditions available to the court. Referencing the Children's Act, he cited the law, which sets out that detention should be a last resort. He stressed the teen had the presumption of innocence, no prior convictions, history of drug abuse or failing to appear in court and there was no witness intimidation evidence. Judge Conneely held, however, that the garda had established a case for refusing bail and remanded the boy in custody to appear at the Children's Court on Wednesday.
Irish Times
19-06-2025
- Irish Times
Five Oberstown staff required hospital treatment following recent incidents
Nine staff at Oberstown Children Detention Campus were injured in an incident involving one young person on Wednesday, the trade union Forsa has said. The incident, during which improvised weapons were used, resulted in four staff being brought to hospital and a number being signed off work for up to a month. It comes as it emerged at the weekend that two young people, accused of being armed with a machine gun during a robbery in South Dublin, were freed due to lack of space at the State's main youth detention centre. On Tuesday, the Department of Children , which oversees Oberstown's operations, said it planned to increase capacity. READ MORE It would 'put in place the necessary resources to enable a small number of additional places to be made available in the near future'. Oberstown currently has capacity for 40 boys and six girls, and is accommodating 40 boys and one girl. Wednesday's violence was the third such incident since Sunday, June 8th, said a staff member who spoke to The Irish Times on condition of anonymity. These had left five people requiring hospital treatment. 'The most serious incident happened Wednesday last week in a remand unit on the campus. During an attempt to move a young person who had previously assaulted a member of staff, a residential social care worker had their face sliced open. They required immediate emergency hospitalisation,' he said. Forsa said there was 'a growing crisis in workplace safety' at the facility. Senior management was 'failing in their duty of care' to staff and this was exacerbating a crisis in staff recruitment and retention, it said. 'Just two out of 10 staff recruited at the start of the year remain,' said the union. [ 'It's not a prison': Inside Oberstown child detention campus Opens in new window ] The staff member said an increasing focus from management on the 'care' of the young people had resulted in inadequate attention to the 'safety'. The complexity of the young people's needs was increasing and the crimes for which they were sentenced more violent. 'The young people used to be coming in for robberies, robbing cars. Now it's all murder, attempted murder, rape, sexual assault. 'We have young people testing positive for crack, cocaine, multiple drugs.' The young people as well as staff were affected by the violence, he added. 'You have young people we have built huge relationships with, and then they see someone walk past, their head covered in blood, and we're meant to just move on. The system is normalising this. 'Staff are stressed, injured, burnt out.' Forsa said staff reiterated their call for 'more effective restraint techniques and the provision of appropriate personal protective equipment. 'Repeated warnings to senior management, about the risks facing staff, have been consistently ignored,' he said. 'Management's failure to recognise and address ongoing problems can no longer be ignored: we are witnessing a complete failure to uphold basic health and safety obligations. Our members are being placed in harm's way every day with no adequate response or accountability.' A Hiqa report last year found the 38 young people then present were having to stay in their bedrooms for periods to facilitate breaks due to insufficient staff. It found the young people on-site generally received 'good-quality, child-centred care'. Both Oberstown management and the Department of Children have been contacted for comment.
