The Children’s Minister says private hostels used to house migrant children seeking asylum in Ireland – will be closed next year.

A report this week from the Ombudsman for Children showed over 120 children aged under 18 were staying in unregistered hostels – with no care staff after 5pm.

Emily Logan also said the level of care offered in the facilities was inferior to that provided to Irish children in residential care.

Minister Barry Andrews says the use of the hostels is being phased out in favour of care and foster homes.

“We will close all of these hostels and replace them with the same kind of residential care that’s afforded to Irish children” he said.

“Of any principal in the UN Convention – the rights of the child – that’s one, that we treat all children here in the same way”.

“We’ve already closed two of those hostels and we hope to be able to close the rest of them in 2010″ he added.