Limerick: State Operating A "Pass The Parcel" System For Troubled Teens: Judge

By Jimmy Woulfe, Mid-West Correspondent (Examiner)

State services are now operating a “pass the parcel” system when dealing with troubled teens, a District Court judge has warned.

Judge Eugene O’Kelly voiced his concerns after learning that dangerous young criminals are routinely placed in Limerick University Hospital wards, among very sick patients, when the State has no secure unit for them.

Judge O’Kelly was told in court yesterday that a 16-year-old “escaped” from the hospital over the weekend, after he had been placed into the care of the HSE by another judge.

There had been six failed attempts to get the youth into Oberstown House since July on foot of successive court orders. He was still at large last night.

He faces a number of charges, one so serious he has been sent forward for trial at Limerick Circuit Court.

The court heard there are 36 places at Oberstown House and Trinity House for male offenders under 17. It was also told the HSE has a protocol at weekends that boys ordered into their care by a court are placed in Limerick University Hospital when there are no places available.

Tim Hanley, HSE children in care manager for Limerick, said this protocol was followed after Saturday’s court sitting in Ennis but the youth absconded from the hospital and was still missing.

Mr Hanley said the youth, whose parents say is a danger to himself and the public, needed “preventative custody”.

Mr Hanley, in reply to Judge O’Kelly, said there was a facility to send young offenders to custodial centres abroad, but this was a very complex process and involved the High Court.

The boy’s father informed the court that neither he nor the boy’s mother was informed that their son had gone missing from Limerick University Hospital at the weekend.

Tony O’Donovan, principal officer in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and child welfare adviser in the Irish Youth Justice Service section of the department, said they had received six requests since July for a bed for the boy at Oberstown House, but none was available.

Mr O’Donovan said he did not know when the next bed would become available, but because of the situation which has arisen in this case, they would endeavour to give him the next bed.

Mr O’Donovan said that while the HSE and the Irish Youth Justice Service work under the minister in the department dealing with boys such as this 16-year-old, there was no cross-over between the two sections as they operated under different legislation.

Judge O’Kelly remarked that different arms of the State seemed to be passing the parcel and he issued another warrant for the arrest of the missing youth.