Press release
Minister O’Gorman names new Chairperson of Oberstown Children Detention Campus
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, has today announced his intention to appoint Ms. Koulla Yiasouma to Chair the Board of Management of the Oberstown Children Detention Campus. Ms. Yiasouma will replace Professor Ursula Kilkelly whose term as Chair comes to an end this month.
Koulla Yiasouma is an established leader in the area of children’s rights and youth justice. She served as Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People between 2015 and 2023. Prior to that, she was Director of Include Youth, an independent rights-based organisation working with young people involved in the criminal justice and care systems in Northern Ireland.
Announcing the appointment, Minister O’Gorman said:
"I am delighted to name Koulla Yiasouma as Chair Designate of the Board of Oberstown Children Detention Campus. Ms. Yiasouma will bring a wealth of experience and strategic capability to this role. Under her leadership, Oberstown will be well-placed to continue its development in providing high standard, rights-based, child-centred care, while supporting its young people to address their offending behaviours and return successfully to society."
The Minister added:
"I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the outgoing Chair, Professor Ursula Kilkelly. Professor Kilkelly has served as Chair of Oberstown since 2015. Over that period she has overseen the transformation of the campus, both in terms of the modernisation of its facilities, and the adoption of a children’s rights framework that now governs all aspects of the operation of the campus. Professor Kilkelly’s immense personal dedication to her work as Chair has played no small part in the achievement of these improvements at Oberstown."
Responding to being named as Chair Designate, Ms. Yiasouma said:
"It is an honour to succeed Professor Kilkelly as Chair of Oberstown. I am looking forward to working with the Director and Board to continue the work that they have begun to ensure that the rights of children in Oberstown are realised."
Koulla Yiasouma was selected as the new Chair of Oberstown following an open competitive process managed by the State Boards Appointments Service on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. As Chair Designate, Ms. Yiasouma will meet with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and her appointment as Chair will be confirmed thereafter.
Koulla qualified as a social worker in 1987, initially working as a probation officer before joining NI Women’s Aid in 1994 to manage their 24-hour Helpline. For the 17 years to 2015 she was Director of Include Youth, a rights-based organisation working with young people involved in the criminal justice and care systems. She represented the organisation and young people on several strategic bodies.
Koulla recently completed the 8-year term as the NI Commissioner for Children and Young People where she was appointed by the First and Deputy First Ministers to safeguard the rights and best interest of children. Under her leadership NICCY worked on a number of issues including mental health, waiting lists, special educational needs, youth justice, exploitation and child protection.
Oberstown is Ireland’s national centre for the detention, care and education of young people under 18 years referred by the courts on detention or remand orders. Established under the Children Act 2001, the Campus provides individualised care to young people through an integrated multi-professional approach that enables young people to address their offending behaviour and return successfully to their families. Located near Lusk in North County Dublin, Oberstown provides care for a maximum of 46 young people (up to 40 boys and up to 6 girls).
Oberstown has a Board of Management of 13 persons appointed by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The current membership of the Board is as follows.
| Professor Ursula Kilkelly | Outgoing Chair (term expires 31 May 2023) |
| Craig Mulligan | Member of Staff |
| Laoise Manners | Member of Staff |
| Brian Arnold | Representative of persons living in the area |
| Dymphna Sherry | Representative of persons living in the area |
| Jennifer Gargan | Appointed following a Public Appointments Service process |
| Bernadette Costello | Appointed following a Public Appointments Service process |
| John McDaid | Appointed following a Public Appointments Service process |
| Elizabeth Davey | Appointed following a Public Appointments Service process |
| Martin Quigley | Appointed following a Public Appointments Service process |
| Úna Ní Dhubhghaill | DCEDIY Nominee |
| Liz O’Neill | Department of Education Nominee |
| William O’Rourke | Tusla Nominee |
The new Chair will be appointed for a four year term with effect from 1 June 2023. All appointments to the Board of Oberstown are subject to Garda vetting. The fee payable to the Chairperson is €8,978 per annum. In line with established practice, members of State Boards who qualify for payment, are given the option of waiving such fees on a discretionary basis. Serving civil and public servants are not entitled to receive a fee.
Funding for Oberstown is provided through the Vote of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The allocation for 2023 is €28.544 million, with an additional €249,000 allocated under Dormant Accounts for specific development projects. At end December 2022, the total staffing was 251 (231.5 Whole Time Equivalents).
For further information about Oberstown, please visit the Oberstown Children Detention Campus website.