Oberstown staff shortages ‘a rights issue’
The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has welcomed some of the findings of an inspection report on Oberstown Children Detention Campus but has expressed concern about staffing levels at the centre.
The report, from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), was published on Friday (17 April 2026).
It assessed Oberstown under five categories – under two of which it was found to be ‘not compliant’.
IPRT welcomed HIQA’s finding that Oberstown continued to deliver a generally good, child-centred, and safe service, with staff prioritising young people’s safety, rights, and participation in decision-making.
Staffing levels ‘critically low’
The organisation expressed concern, however, that the campus was found to be non-compliant in staffing, management, and governance.
It noted that the HIQA report identified “ongoing and significant” staffing challenges that put pressure on the safe delivery of services, with staffing levels described as “critically low” at points over the past 12 months.
Inspectors found that staffing shortages contributed to the use of restrictive practices such as single separation.
The report highlights that restrictive practices were used in some cases due to inadequate staffing levels, rather than risks posed by young people’s behaviour.
IPRT said that this raised “fundamental concerns” about proportionality, necessity, and the protection of young people’s rights.
‘Impact on daily lives’
“It is clear that overall Oberstown continues to provide a positive experience for many of the young people in its care,” said IPRT executive director Saoirse Brady.
“However, these positive findings sit alongside serious and ongoing concerns regarding staffing levels, which are having a direct and unacceptable impact on young people’s daily lives and rights,” she added.
“The rights of the child are fundamental and cannot be dependent on operational pressures such as staffing shortages,” Brady stated.
“Staffing shortages are no longer just an operational issue; they are a human-rights issue,” she said.
IPRT has called for investment in prevention and diversion measures, as well as amendments to the Children's Act to provide judges with options to ensure that detention is “a last resort”.