News

Latest News

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  • 14 October 2025
  • Type: Statement
  • Topic: Immigration

  Observations on the International Protection Bill 2025 – Joint Oireachtas Justice Committee Opening Statement

  Thank you to the Chairperson and the Committee for inviting the Ombudsman for Children’s Office here today to provide our observations on the General Scheme of the new International Protection Bill (General Scheme). The OCO is ...

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  • 8 October 2025
  • Type: Statement
  • Topic: Children in Care

  Budget 2026 

  Budget 2026  Budget 2026 is the first of the new Government.  So, what does it tell us about their commitments to children?  We take a look at some of the big-ticket items affecting children and their rights.     Children in Poverty  A ...

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  • 26 September 2025
  • Type: Statement

  OCO progress on Public Sector Duty Commitments

  As a public body and human rights institution, the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) has a statutory obligation to have regard to human rights and equality considerations in the performance of our functions. This is known ...

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  • 23 September 2025
  • Type: Statement
  • Topic: Youth Justice

  OCO Youth Advisory Panel Statement to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on AI

  We are here today on behalf of the OCO Youth Advisory Panel and would like to thank the Chairperson and the Committee for inviting us. We welcome the Committee’s decision to hold a special session on ...

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  • 10 September 2025
  • Type: Press Release

  Cosc ar fhóin i scoileanna – léirítear le taighde nua OCO an fáth nach n-oireann an toise céanna do gach duine

  Foilseoidh Oifig an Ombudsman do Leanaí (OCO) Ní Oireann an Toise Céanna do Gach Duine – tuarascáil ar chosc ar fhóin i scoileanna agus ar chearta leanaí i gcomhar le Painéal Comhairleach na nÓige (YAP) de ...

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  • 10 September 2025
  • Type: Press Release

  Phone bans in schools- new OCO research shows why one size doesn’t fit all

  The Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) published One Size Does Not Fit All– a report on phone bans in schools and children’s rights with the OCO’s Youth Advisory Panel (YAP). As well as presenting the views ...

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  • 4 September 2025
  • Type: Statement

  Statement from the Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon in relation to the disappearance and possible death of a child in North Dublin

  “It is shocking that we are dealing with a situation where a child, who at one point was known to the Tusla, could have disappeared four years ago and is now presumed dead. “How could that ...

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  • 14 August 2025
  • Type: Press Release

  Children’s rights overlooked during the pandemic – Ombudsman for Children tells Independent Pandemic Evaluation Panel

  The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, has today told the Independent Pandemic Evaluation Panel that children suffered disproportionately as a result of Covid measures implemented by the State during the pandemic, with their rights often ...

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  • 25 July 2025
  • Type: Statement

  Ombudsman and Ombudsman for Children sign Memorandum of Understanding

  On Thursday 24 July 2025 the Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, and the Office of the Ombudsman, Ger Deering, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further their shared commitment towards working together as effectively ...

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  • 23 July 2025
  • Type: Statement
  • Topic: Online

  OCO statement on new online safety measures

  The Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) has welcomed the new online age verification and parental control rules for video sharing platform providers being rolled out for children this week as a ‘first step’ toward keeping children ...