Budget 2023 is an opportunity for Government to demonstrate its commitment to children

Ombudsman for Children’s Office submits two major reports to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

Ireland’s progress in relation to children’s rights is under the spotlight in two major new reports published by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) today. Pieces of Us, a report by children and young people across Ireland and a report by the OCO have been submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN Committee).

Both reports have been submitted as part of an international monitoring and reporting process where the UN Committee periodically examines Ireland’s progress in delivering on its obligations to children under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The OCO has submitted these reports ahead of the UN Committee’s constructive dialogue with the State, which is due to take place in January 2023.

The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, has said that while these reports recognise a variety of areas where the State has made progress for children, the issues raised highlight different ways in which the State continues to fall short when it comes to upholding children’s rights:

“Thirty years on from Ireland’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a significant gear change by the State and the Government is needed to address persistent shortfalls in consideration of children and their rights in decisions that affect them.

“When Government has to make difficult decisions we regularly hear about the impact that this will have on the exchequer, on business interests and on a range of other factors. Rarely are children at the top of the list of considerations. The pandemic demonstrated how the Government and the State can take innovative approaches, but unfortunately this capacity for innovation still has not been adequately applied to decisions affecting children. A major shift is needed to mainstream children’s rights and to build on the progress that has been made in Ireland over the last thirty years.

“With the budget quickly approaching and the demands for resources coming from every direction, it is crucial that children are prioritised in a meaningful way, and not just by adding ‘these changes will positively impact children’ to the relevant press releases.

“In Pieces of Us children tell us that they are frustrated and disappointed with health services, particularly mental health services. They express their concerns about long waiting lists and inadequate services. They also talk about education, including the need for exam reform, the impact of bullying in schools and the supports they would like to see provided in schools to help them thrive. These children must be listened to.

“Pieces of Us heard from over 5,500 children aged between 2 and 17 who took part in an online survey and over 200 children who took part in focus groups between May 2021 and March 2022.

“Meanwhile, the OCO’s report made recommendations in 43 areas where improvements are needed for the State to more fully meet its obligations to children under the UN Convention on the Rights of Child.

“Budget 2023 is an opportunity for the Government to demonstrate its commitment to children by signalling that it will child proof budgetary measures and by introducing specific budget lines that ring fence funding for children – for example, a specific budget for children’s mental health services. Multi-annual budgets should also be introduced for children with disabilities to properly plan for their predicted needs.”

ENDS

Pieces of Us

Report of the Ombudsman for Children’s Office to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

• 7 Meán Fomhair 2022
• Cineál: Preaseisiúint
• Ábhar: Sláinte, Meabharshláinte