Yes, it wasn't unlike a bostal, taking abandoned, problematic etc. children. If you search the ecatalogue on the PRONI website you will see what they hold, PRONI reference RITS (Reformatory, Industrial and Training Schools) also gives some background (there's also some material to be found via google).
Edited to add: Eg. the EPPI (Enhanced British Parliamentary Papers on Ireland) website has a few references, it might be worth searching:
http://eppi.dippam.ac.uk/documents/21240/eppi_pages/594974
