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THE CHILDREN’S OMBUDSMAN said she feels “reassured” about the closure of St Patrick’s, the country’s biggest prison for young criminals, and the move to Wheatfield Prison.
St Patrick’s – which holds offenders aged 17 to 21 – has been closed down under plans announced by the Justice Minister Alan Shatter, in an unexpected sideways step in the government’s prison policy.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Emily Logan said that none of the prison officers that were involved in the mistreatment of young offenders at St Patrick’s Institution will make the move over to Wheatfield.
She said she was “unsure” what would happen to those prison officers but said they “may go somewhere else and be trained” as they are “unfit” to work with young people.
Logan spent three hours at the prison yesterday along with the Governor of Wheatfield Prison Patrick Kavanagh and the Governor of the Irish Prison Service Edward Whelan.
She said she was “pleasantly surprised” about Wheatfield but she still has concerns about the transition of children to a prison:
As the ombudsman for children, I’m still not happy with children going from one prison to another prison. This is just short-term solution until we open Oberstown next year.
Inside one of the cells at Wheatfield Prison, Tallaght, Dublin. Pic: Photocall Ireland
She hopes that the detention centre, Oberstown, will be ready by May 2014, where 17-year-old offenders will be sent because she said they “need care” and not prison. She also insisted that 17-year-olds will be held in a separate unit to the rest of the adult prison population at Wheatfield prison.
Logan said that Wheatfield felt different from St Patrick’s: “It is more open, has more light and more space for the teenagers to go out and play outdoors”.
New procedures have also been put in place for young criminals to make a complaint with designated staff trained to help.
There will also be a “very good health care facility with a full-time GP and doctors from the central mental health area,” said Logan.
Logan said she felt more “assured” about the staff at Wheatfield and their willingness and openness to change. She does not believe that the same mistreatment of young people that happened at St Patrick’s will happen at Wheatfield.
Reports by the Inspector of Prisons found conditions have improved significantly at St Patrick’s in recent months but that a number of problems – including violence between rival gangs – persist, which led to the Inspector’s recommendation to close the medium-security prison down for good.
Yes,watched it all the way through,really enjoyed this tournament,and some achievement from the young man,never have I seen such a natural darts player as him.
@Deano: only similarity i can think of his mvg at 17 winning the bdo masters. But littler seems even better than that. He’s relentless on the 19s, always a great trait to have also.
@Brian Dunne: *is mvg
@Brian Dunne: Is this written in code?
@Patrick MC Dermott: ha! Suppose you’d need to be into darts to get most of that to be fair!
@Brian Dunne: Bullseye,Brian
Hats off to the 44 year old, he plays like he was 16, no inhibitions, great stuff.
@Marcus Maher – Triskellion Films: all that talk about him is fairly poor tbh. He is only 16. Bad form all those that keep harping on about his appearance.
@Setanta O’Toole: It’s sad really
@Setanta O’Toole: what, are you getting offended because a 16 yr old looks older? Your life must be dreadfully upsetting
@Setanta O’Toole: It is a bit of craic tbh, and I’m not the 1st person to make this observation, great talent and obvs it’s good for the game but let’s be honest, Darts players ain’t Pro Triathletes are they, pies, booze and fags are the staple and that’s why it’s a good craic.
@Dave Harris: No, i’m saying it’s bad form to slate a young lad constantly over his appearance. Not too controversial a take i think, you look to be more upset over it.
@Dave Harris: “your life must be dreadfully upsetting”……Good one Dave. It’s a bit sad that adults are coming on a public forum to make fun of a 16 year old boys appearance. I think that if you feel the need to do this your life must be dreadfully upsetting!….. There have been other more derogatory comments that have been deleted
@SFmeansSheetForFree: yeah it is, especially when your missus knocks over…. Wha!…. Think you missed the point. There something sad about adults posting on a public forum insulting the appearance of a 16 year old boy whether he sees it or not. The majority of people appreciate that he looks older than his age but they don’t have the need to post insulting comments about it…… I wonder if the mirror is kind to those posters. We’re all perfect behind our keyboards aren’t we?!?!
Love the old darts, you have to admire what Barry Hearn has done with the darts,taken it from dingy halls with a few hundred people, to major arenas with thousands of fans. Definitely on my list to go to the Ally Pally.
@The Firestarter: to be fair the old bdo championship at lakeside was always a great spectacle. As was the initial pdc tournaments at the circus tavern. Bigger crowds are great but certainly a less knowledgeable crowd than years ago
@The Firestarter: Ah the lakeside was a much better venue
Darts standard prior to Christmas is usually very poor but it’s exceptional since. Humphries will have too much for Littler but my god, what a future he has, as long as he stays off the kebabs.
@Peter: yes possibly,if humphries plays the way he did last night,but will he play the same,littler I expect will put him under a lot more pressure than Williams did,
@Deano: neither Williams or Cross made it hard work for both Lukes. Potentially the first time Littler will be under pressure is tonight, but Humphries has had some close games already. All depends how Humphries deals with the crowd, no doubt they want to see Littler win.
You don’t need Skysports to watch the darts.
@Paul: think you do need it. How you get it is another question!!
SAFE BET in the bookies…..
‘ LUKE to win’
@Ken Mc Carthy: think you do need it. How you get it is another question!!!!
Littler looks like he is playing in his shed. He’s not letting it all get to him. He looked a wee bit nervous in the first set against Cross last night but he turned it around. He has some future ahead of him!!
Defo will. Watching top athletes go head to head is always a joy to behold
Oh darts – the poor persons golf – no thanks.
@Rafa C: been a darts fan all my life. Would rather watch any darts match over a golf major any day of the week.
@Rafa C:
Well there’s a comparison that makes absolutely NO sense whatsoever..
@Rafa C: no score
I can’t, I’m only 3 but look 12
The darts beats the hell out of Gaelic Football. It has skill and about the same level of physical contact.
Hmmm…obese drunk white men throwing things at walls… No think.
@Chris O’Brien: no think?
@Brian Dunne: him no think. Him not know nothing.
@Chris O’Brien: guarantee you’re all of these things eh ;-)
@Chris O’Brien: brain no work so good
have your say