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	Unions say there are an increasing number of campus assaults and poor safety measures</p>
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	There is &ldquo;no basis&rdquo; for staff at Oberstown youth detention centre in north Dublin to start strike action on Tuesday, the Minister for Children Katherine Zappone has said.</p>
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	Care workers and other employees began industrial action at 8am over what they say are poor safety measures and an increasing number of assaults on the campus.</p>
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	Trade unions Impact and Siptu said full emergency cover was in place, and that there would be no disruption of State exams at the facility.</p>
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	Ms Zappone said she regretted the decision of the staff to strike but welcomed their agreement to go ahead with talks with Oberstown management at the Workplace Relations Commission on Wednesday.</p>
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	&ldquo;However, the fact that this engagement is happening means that, having regard to normal industrial relations practice and the Lansdowne Road Agreement, there is no basis for this industrial action to take place,&rdquo; she said.</p>
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	Ms Zappone said she was concerned the interruption would affect the normal routines of the children, in particular school attendance on campus.</p>
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	The campus caters for 48 teenagers under 18, including what the unions described as a mix of &ldquo;vulnerable young offenders and violent criminals with multiple convictions for serious offences&rdquo;.</p>
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	It is the only youth detention centre in the State that facilitates the transfer of offenders from the prison service.</p>
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	The unions said more than 100 violent incidents occurred at Oberstown last year, almost half of which were classed as &ldquo;critical&rdquo;.</p>
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	Critical assaults and injuries necessitated a total of 3,005 employee sick days, involving 65 staff members.</p>
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	The industrial action will see residents confined to their rooms between 8am and midday.</p>
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	Further four-hour stoppages are planned for each Tuesday in June.</p>
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	Impact official Tom Hoare said a series of policy decisions had left Oberstown care workers &ldquo;doing the work of prison staff with the facilities and equipment of a residential care home&rdquo;.</p>
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	&ldquo; The campus is badly designed, with inadequate safety equipment to deal with a mix of vulnerable young people and violent offenders,&rdquo; he said.</p>
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	&ldquo; The result is a daily risk of serious assault, which leaves many of the staff literally in fear of their lives as they leave for work each day.&rdquo;</p>
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	(Published by the Irish Times on the 31<sup><font size="2">st</font></sup> May 2016)</p>
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	<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/oberstown-staff-have-no-basis-to-strike-says-zappone-1.2667017">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/oberstown-staff-have-no-basis-to-strike-says-zappone-1.2667017</a></p>
