A children's 'super prison' will be constructed, replacing five residential homes in north Dublin, it has been revealed.

The proposed prison in Lusk will create a centre for convicted teenagers, and it will be located alongside three existing schools - Trinity House, Oberstown Boys and Oberstown Girls schools.

It is understood the centre will take the form of a "unified campus model based on residential units which support an appropriate regime and ethos".

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The move follows a report from experts which was tasked with looking at the area of child detention places. The first progress report by the group said that facilities at Lusk should be redeveloped as a National Centre for Children Detention Schools with facilities for people aged up to 18.

The report stated: "Consideration should be given to the physical separation of the functions of remand and assessment from the functions relating to committals - either within the same site or at different geographical locations."

The Irish Youth Justice Centre is currently in talks with landowners to acquire the site, which is thought to be around 60 acres in size.

(JM)