The age of criminal responsibility is to raised from seven to 12 years under the new Children Bill, which will finalise its passage through the Oireachtas tomorrow.
The Bill - introduced by the Minister for Justice - is a complete reappraisal of the 1908 Children Act and is based on the principle the detention of children should be a last resort.
The Minister for State at the Department of Health and Children Ms Mary Hanafin said the Bill gives "a new legal basis for dealing with children who have behavioural difficulties and children who are offenders."
One of the key elements of the Bill is the use of Restorative Justice where a child offender is allowed to face and apologise to a victim.
Ms Hanafin said the Bill marked "an important milestone in the legal protection for children".
Other key elements include:
- The introduction of "family conferences" to enable children and their families agree on an action plan for the child;
- Placing the Garda Diversion Programme on a statutory footing;
- Listing alternative sanctions for young offenders e.g. curfew, education, paying compensation;
- stronger emphasis on individual and parental responsibility;
- Providing a legal basis for detaining children who have behavioural problems and who need special care;
- Greater co-ordination in the use of residential places.