Fitzgerald thanks prison officers for work at St Patrick’s Institution

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has thanked prison officers for their work with young offenders at St Patrick’s Institution.

Ms Fitzgerald addressed delegates to the annual conference of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) in Galway earlier today.

She said: “Colleagues, as you know the complete closure of St Patrick’s Institution was confirmed earlier this month with the remaining B Division being subsumed into Mountjoy Prison. As a result the ending of the practice of imprisoning children with adults has been realised.

“I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work that you have done with the young offenders that were housed in St. Pat’s over the years.”

St Patrick’s Institution was closed with effect from 7 April under the Prisons Act 2015.

All 17 year olds are now committed by the courts to the Children’s Detention Centre at Oberstown, rather than to St. Patrick’s Institution.

The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) welcomed the move as the “closing of one dark chapter in Ireland’s treatment of children”.