Industrial Disputes
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-02
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Frankie Feighan (FG), Sligo-Leitrim

On behalf of the Minister for children, I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue and affording her the opportunity to respond. The Minister would like to make clear at the outset that the safety and well-being of the children in the care of Oberstown, and of the staff who support them, is and will remain the highest priority. The Minister notes that Oberstown, as the employer, is engaging directly with staff representatives through the appropriate industrial relations mechanisms, including conciliation under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC.
The industrial action is ongoing and has not been stood down but there are efforts to maintain open lines of communication to resolve the matter. Engagement via conciliation at the WRC remains open to the parties. I understand that local engagement is scheduled for this coming Monday in an effort to find a way forward. The Minister respects the rights of workers to take industrial action. At the same time, continued engagement by all parties, including through established dispute resolution mechanisms, is encouraged in order to reach a resolution that is practical, sustainable and centred on safety.
Oberstown is the State's only national facility for the detention of children and, as such, it operates within wider pressures in the youth justice system. Demand for places has increased. In February 2026, the Minister informed the Oireachtas of her intention to increase the capacity for boys in Oberstown by four to 44 during the course of the year. At the end of March, she increased the capacity for boys at Oberstown to 42 from 40, at the same time reducing the capacity for girls from six to four. No decision regarding capacity is taken without a clear understanding of its implications for staffing levels, safety conditions and the overall care environment for the children. The staff and management of Oberstown have handled the change in the certified capacity with the professionalism and care that have become the hallmarks of the facility.
The Department has increased funding to Oberstown in recent years to support service delivery, strengthen operations and enhance the overall care environment for the children. That sustained investment reflects the Government's commitment to ensuring the campus is properly resourced. The Department is working closely with Oberstown management to ensure staffing levels are aligned with operational demands, workforce planning is strengthened and staff are appropriately supported in what is a highly challenging role. The Government provided €2.176 million in additional funding for Oberstown in 2026 to increase staffing levels, including funding for 11 additional whole-time equivalent staff posts. That includes additional day supervising officers, who are support staff, and assistant unit managers.
In the first six months of 2026, Oberstown has been successful in recruiting the majority of those extra staff despite tight labour-market conditions.
The safety and well-being of staff and young people in Oberstown Children Detention Campus is of the utmost importance to the Minister. The following details demonstrate how Oberstown cares for its staff. Staff in Oberstown are supported with access to an on-site psychologist, peer support workers, employee assistance services and structured after-incident reviews, forming part of a systemic approach to supporting well-being in a challenging workplace. All staff working with young people in Oberstown receive training in suicide prevention, self-harm mitigation and incident management. Oberstown has adopted the ISO 45003 certification on psychological health and safety at work. Furthermore, Oberstown maintains an ISO 45001 health and safety management system on campus. The health and safety officer in Oberstown works closely with all the staff and all incidents on campus are followed up as soon as possible. These measures demonstrate a commitment to ensuring the highest possible standards of staff safety, well-being and professional support.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-02/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:14+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-02