asked the Minister for Justice what psychiatric services have been or are to be provided for adolescents who appear before the courts.

There are long standing arrangements which enable the courts to obtain psychiatric reports on any offender. In the case of juveniles—that is, persons under 17 years of age—in the Dublin area, where the majority of such cases arise, there is a panel of two psychiatrists who have been on call on this type of work for a great many years.

Any district justice outside Dublin who wishes to avail of this panel may do so by remanding the juvenile offender to a place of detention in Dublin for examination and report. Alternatively, he may, in suitable cases, arrange for a psychiatric investigation to be carried out locally.

In deciding whether a particular case requires a psychiatric report, the district justice in Dublin is assisted by social inquiry reports prepared by the probation officers. Where committal is not considered desirable or necessary, the court frequently directs the periodic attendance of the offender at suitable clinics. In case of committal, the social inquiry reports, including the psychiatric reports furnished to the court, are sent to the institutions to which the juvenile has been committed.

Is the Minister satisfied with the present situation in relation to the service?

As far as the matters raised in the specific question are concerned, I am satisfied. There is a special children's court here in Dublin —only one; there is a special justice; there are special psychiatrists on call and available to them.