A DETENTION centre with educational facilities for young offenders between 16 and 18 years was called for by the Fianna Fail spokesman on justice.

Mr John O'Donoghue said the urgent need for such a centre had been highlighted by a recent court case when a two year suspended sentence was imposed on a 16 year old boy who had set fire to a 12 year old Dundalk boy.

The judge was unable to impose a custodial sentence because the boy, who was almost 17, was too old for Trinity House, and the alternative institution, St Patrick's lacked educational facilities.

"At present the Eastern Health Board, together with other health boards throughout the country, are spending considerable sums of money housing young offenders in houses staffed by minders. Yet the 1908 Children's Act did envisage education detention for 16 to 18 year olds."

Mr O'Donoghue said the victim had suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body and to 15 per cent of his legs. "His injuries were horrendous - as a result he spent three months in intensive care, suffered multiple shock and also suffered epileptic and psychotic disorders. It is harrowing to think that this boy would, in all likelihood, have died had it not been for the immediate response of an eyewitness to the horrific event."

The trial clearly demonstrated that the Irish criminal justice system had little comfort to offer the young victim and his parents, he added. "The system has left this family in limbo."

The Minister of State for Justice, Mr Austin Currie, said that if the court had decided to impose detention in the case, space was available in St Patrick's.

It was extremely difficult to forecast, with any degree of precision, the number of custodial places required to accommodate juvenile offenders, he added. Demand for such accommodation could vary from day to day depending on decisions taken by the courts.

"Experience within the Department of Education in relation to the operation of the present industrial school facilities would indicate that the 130 places currently available in these schools are adequate to meet present and likely demand."

In the case of reformatory school places, there was growing pressure on the 60 places currently available for young male offenders in the 14 to 16 age group. There was also occasional pressure on the 16 places available for young female offenders.

He said the promised Children Bill would probably be ready for publication by the middle of this year.