THE Minister for Education has said she is "very concerned" about the escape from custody of a 15 year old boy convicted last week of attempted rape.
Ms Breathnach has ordered a report from the management of Trinity House, Lusk, Co Dublin, the secure centre for juveniles run by the Department of Education.
She has asked for a review of the "mobility trips" whereby inmates are brought on trips as a reward for good behaviour.
It was one of those that gave this young person an opportunity to escape from custody," the Minister said on RTE1's News at One. "It shouldn't have happened."
Ms Breathnach said such trips must be able to guarantee the security of those involved. She also said she must be able to have confidence in Trinity House.
The Progressive Democrats spokeswoman on justice, Ms Liz O'Donnell, said it was "reckless beyond belief that a young man who had been found guilty of such a heinous crime should be brought to the pictures with one person supervising three offenders".
"It beggars belief that this is the system of justice this Government is offering the Irish public."
"A 15 year old man who is involved in a gang rape is a danger to the public, notwithstanding his youth."
The State had failed to secure his detention, Ms O'Donnell said. It had "failed the victim" also.
"Can you imagine how she feels today that boy is walking around, somewhere, unlawfully at large, and this is only a week after the trial."
The escape raised the "appalling spectre of the fact that we have a prison service that is not capable of dispensing the justice dispensed by the courts".
The Fianna Fail spokesman on justice, Mr John O'Donoghue, called on the Minister for Justice to urgently bring forward the long promised Juvenile Justice Bill.
Mr O'Donoghue expressed grave concern at the manner in which the 15 year old absconded.
"The very fact that this youth absconded so easily last weekend clearly demonstrates that the Irish criminal justice system has little comfort to offer the female victim of this horrendous crime."
He called for an urgent review of the manner in which convicted youths are detained and educated in this State.
The Independent senator, Dr Mary Henry, criticised the fact that it had taken two years for the boy's attempted rape case to come to court. She described this as "incredible".
A child care expert, who did not wish to be named, said two supervisors at least should have been accompanying the three boys. He also questioned the value of bringing such juveniles to the cinema.
"You have to challenge these youths, challenge their behaviour. What is this boy learning by being brought to the cinema? They should be challenging his behaviour."
The man criticised Ms O'Donnell for speaking about juveniles as part of the penal system, and called for a Juvenile Justice Act and a national youth policy.
