101. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a resolution has been agreed with her Department and a union (details supplied) on the ongoing industrial action in Oberstown Children Detention Centre; to comment on the number of work related injuries sustained by staff since 2020; and the steps she is taking to improve safe working conditions in the centre for both staff and the young people detained there. [65888/26]

Following extensive engagement between Fórsa representatives, Oberstown senior management and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE) officials, agreement was reached to suspend industrial action, including an immediate cessation of the work-to-rule, in the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on 27 August 2026. This agreement was put to a ballot of Fórsa members at Oberstown and, on recommendation by Fórsa officials, was accepted by members on 29 August.

The agreement reached follows significant and positive engagement to address challenges raised by union representatives, against a backdrop of broader national challenges regarding supply of suitably qualified staff and public sector pay talks.

In line with the agreement reached and the Campus’s overarching legislation, Oberstown officials are preparing to submit a business case for consideration to DCDE and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation (DPER).

Officials of DCDE will in-turn critically assess the business cases and engage constructively with the team in DPER, in respect of appropriate approvals.

The Department has provided €2.176 million in additional funding in Budget 2026 for Oberstown to increase staffing levels, including funding for 11 additional whole-time equivalent staff posts. This includes additional Day Supervising Officers (support staff) and Assistant Unit Managers.

In the first six months of 2026, Oberstown has been successful in recruiting the majority of those extra staff, despite tight labour market conditions. This brings Oberstown's total funding for 2026 to €31.607 million in current funding, in addition to €7 million capital funding.

The Department works in close collaboration with Oberstown to ensure staffing levels meet operational needs, to strengthen workforce planning, and to provide appropriate support to staff in what is a particularly demanding environment.

In March 2026, capacity arrangements in Oberstown were changed from 40 boys and six girls (46 spaces) to 42 boys and four girls (46 spaces) given the higher demand for spaces for boys in Oberstown.

The safety, wellbeing and support of both staff and the young people in Oberstown's care remain the highest priority. During the recent industrial action, which included work-to-rule action, work stoppages and a 12-hour strike on 26 August 2026, Oberstown activated its Business Continuity Plan to ensure essential services and campus safety were maintained. While no critical service failures occurred, operational restrictions were required on strike days, resulting in restricted regimes for young people, including reduced access to normal activities and extended periods in residential units.

In relation to work-related injuries, any incident involving a member of staff or a young person is taken extremely seriously and is subject to review. Oberstown's incident reporting data for 2026 shows a decrease in serious incidents or injuries and records reductions across a number of key measures when compared with the same period in 2025. Year-to-date data shows an overall reduction in recorded incidents, a reduction in staff-related incidents and a reduction in incidents involving direct physical assault on staff.

Oberstown continues to take a wide range of measures to ensure safe working conditions for staff and safe care for young people. These measures include ongoing investment in staffing, training, health and safety systems, incident management processes, staff wellbeing supports and business continuity planning. In April 2026, Oberstown issued a clear operational position setting out how staffing arrangements would support a planned increase in capacity for boys. This position was informed by a robust suite of health and safety measures designed to protect staff wellbeing, maintain campus stability and ensure the safe operation of the Oberstown campus.

Oberstown will continue to work closely with staff representatives, trade unions, the WRC, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and other stakeholders to support a safe working environment for staff and the delivery of safe, stable and appropriate care for the young people detained on campus.