A 15-year-old girl has been sentenced to two years detention after she absconded on 60 occasions from two health board-run homes, one of which had been specially funded, secured and staffed to cater for her needs.
Imposing the detention at Galway District Court, Judge Mary Fahy said it was particularly sad to be sending the child away for two years but she was at risk and needed a period of stability in her life where her educational needs would also be met.
The girl has been appearing before the courts for nearly two years now and has been under the care of the health board for some time as her mother admitted she could not control her.
The teenager is the subject of a High Court order which had given the health board power to "restrain and detain" her in the secure house in an unspecified location last June. She was unhappy in the house, however, and it had been agreed that she could stay at the other health board-run non-custodial house.
However, the court heard the girl absconded on numerous occasions from both houses in recent months and was arrested on two separate occasions while drunk in Galway city over the Christmas. She was also charged with assaulting a garda and another person during one of the arrests.
She had been remanded in custody to Oberstown Detention Centre for girls at a special court sitting over Christmas.
Judge Fahy said reports from Oberstown recommended the girl be given a two-year period of detention at their centre and this was agreed to by health board staff.
A social worker for the health board told Judge Fahy that a secure unit in England or America were considered at a recent meeting on the girl's future but it was now agreed that a period of detention in Oberstown would be the best option.
Defence solicitor Ms Valerie Corcoran said two years detention was too long given the girl's age and the charges before the court. She said there was still a bed at the non-custodial house for her client until she was 18, and she hoped the health board would continue to liaise with Oberstown and review the situation.
Judge Fahy made the order detaining the girl for two years but said staff at Oberstown could review it any time they wished.