06-07-2025
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'.
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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.
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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'.
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'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.'
