Legal gaps mean children remain vulnerable

Current gaps in law, policy and practice mean that some children remain vulnerable and are not receiving the full support of the State, according to the Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, today (Tuesday) at the launch of her annual report.

The report includes the following concerns that emerged throughout the year:

• children’s separation from and access to their siblings;
• difficulties for children in accessing special care placements and appropriate supports and therapeutic interventions;
• the lack of any statutory obligation on the State to provide aftercare support to young people leaving care;
• significant delays in accessing suitable health services for children and young people in the areas of speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, psychology services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health services and hospital services;
• difficulties for parents and guardians in accessing integrated services to meet their children’s needs; and
• the amount of time, energy and resources needed by parents or guardians to advocate on behalf of their child and the effect that this is having on family life.

In this reporting period (2009) the Ombudsman for Children’s Office received 912 complaints, representing a 13% increase compared with last year and a significant change since its first year of operations, 2004, when 94 complaints were received. Not only has there been an increase in volume, there has also been an increase in the complexity of the complaints received.

The Ombudsman for Children has a statutory role to promote and safeguard the rights and welfare of children. During 2009 the Office continued to prioritise its accessibility to children in all settings including prisons, hostels and care settings. As in previous years the majority of children who contact the Office directly are in the care of the State.

Children’s Ombudsman, Emily Logan said: “This report covers 2009, a year when, through the Ryan and Murphy Reports, both the scale of child abuse and the culture of impunity was realised for the first time by many. These reports revealed that it is easier to violate the rights of people who are not socially powerful, something that continues to this day. I remain convinced that constitutional change is required to ensure that any new legislation puts the interests of children first. “

Emily Logan said: “The information we have received over the past year indicates that we must not be silent on the realities of children’s lives. As Ombudsman for Children I have reflected on my own role, on the increasing significance of the work of this Office and the unique contribution we can make to safeguarding children’s rights”. The three areas of most significance are:

1. Independent oversight – we provide a complaints handling service to monitor the actions of the State towards children. While my Office usually investigates complaints from members of the public, in 2008/2009 we shifted our approach and actively pursued a number of own volition investigations.
2. Legislative change – I am charged with giving advice to Ministers on any matter relating to the rights and welfare of children. 2008 began with an invitation to meet with the Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children. I remain convinced that constitutional change is required to ensure that any new legislation puts the interests of children first.
3. Consulting with children – how we hear what they have to say. We are the only independent, statutory institution charged with consulting with children and highlighting what they have to say.

“As is evident from complaints contained in the 2009 Annual Report, children continue to need an independent mechanism of redress and will continue to do so in this State for some considerable tiffme.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• Download Annual Report here
• 912 complaints were received from January to December 2009. This represents a 13% increase on 2008.
• Parents and extended family continue to be the main advocates for children representing 74% of complainants.
• Professionals now account for 12% of complainants.
• The Ombudsman for Children’s Office is the independent statutory body with responsibility for promoting children’s rights and welfare.
• The Ombudsman for Children reports directly to the Oireachtas.
• The three functions of the Office are Complaints and Investigations; Policy and Legislation; and Education and Participation. The activities in each of these areas in 2009 are set out in detail in the 2009 annual report.
• The Ombudsman for Children’s Office allocation was €2.377m at the start of 2009, reduced to €2.310m over the course of 2009.
• The Annual Report which contains a number of case studies is available to download from www.oco.ie on Tuesday 13th of July.

For further information:

Aoife Greene 01 865 6810

Ciallaíonn bearnaí sa dlí go bhfágtar leanaí leochaileach – Ombudsman do Leanaí

Preaseisiúint

Le foilsiú a 5ú Tuarascáil Bhliantúil faoi lán seoil, bheartaigh an Ombudsman do Leanaí an deis a ghlacadh béim a chur ar an ngá le hathruithe Bunreachtúla a dhéanamh i gcás Chearta an Linbh.

Ciallaíonn bearnaí sa dlí, polasaí agus cleachtas go bhfágtar roinnt leanaí leochaileach agus iad fágtha gan tacaíocht iomlán an Stáit, dar leis an Ombudsman do Leanaí, Emily Logan, inniu (An Mháirt) ag seoladh a Tuarascáil Bhliantúil.

Áirítear sa Tuarascáil seo ábhair chúraim a tháinig chun solais le linn na bliana:

• scaradh leanaí óna siblíní, agus gan rochtain acu orthu;
• deacrachtaí ag leanaí teacht ar shocrúcháin i gcúram speisialta agus ar thacaíochtaí oiriúnacha agus ar idirghabhálacha teiripeacha;
• an easpa oblaigáide bunreachtúla atá ar an Stáit tacaíocht iarchúraim a sholáthar do dhaoine óga atá ag fágáil chúraim;
• moilleanna suntasacha i gcás rochtain ar sheirbhísí sláinte oiriúnacha do leanaí agus daoine óga, i réimsí teiripe Urlabhra agus Teanga, teiripe Shaothair, seirbhísí Síceolaíochta, seirbhísí Meabhairshláinte do Leanaí agus Ógánaigh agus seirbhísí ospidéil;
• deacrachtaí do thuismitheoirí agus caomhnóirí teacht ar sheirbhísí comhtháite do riachtanais a leanaí a chomhlíonadh;
• an méid ama, fuinnimh agus acmhainní is gá do thuismitheoirí agus caomhnóirí a bheith acu chun tacú le cúis a leanaí agus an éifeacht a bhíonn ag shaol a gclann.

Sa tréimhse tuairiscithe seo (2009) tháinig 912 gearán isteach chuig an Ombudsman do Leanaí, ardú 13% ar an mbliain seo caite agus athrú suntasach ar an gcéad bhliain ar cuireadh i bhfeidhm é, 2004, nuair a tháinig 94 gearán iseach. Ní amháin go raibh ardú ar an líon, tá ardú ar choimpléascacht na ngearán feicithe chomh maith.

Tá ról reachtúil ag an Ombudsman cearta agus leas an linbh a chur chun cinn agus a chosaint. I rith 2009 lean an Oifig léi ag iarraidh rochtain leanaí uirthi a fheabhsú i ngach suíomh ar nós príosúin, brúnna agus láithreacha cúraim. Mar a bhí i mblianta a tháinig roimhe tá tromlach na leanaí a théann i dteagmháil leis an Oifig faoi chúram an Stáit.

Dúirt an Ombudsman do Leanaí, Emily Logan : “Clúdaíonn an Tuarascáil 2009, bliain inar léiríodh, trí nochtadh Thuarascálacha Ryan agus Murphy, an scála mór de mhí-úsáid leanaí agus chonaic an-chuid don chéad uair an cultúr a bhí ann nach ngearrfaí píonós ar na daoine ciontacha. Léirigh na tuarascálacha seo go bhfuil sé níos fusa cearta daoine a shárú nuair nach bhfuil siad láidir go sóisialta, rud atá le feiceáil inniu. Tá mé fós den tuairim go bhfuil gá athruithe Bunreachtúla a dhéanamh le cinntiú go mbíonn leas an linbh ina thosaíocht in aon reachtaíocht nua.”

Dúirt Emily Logan: “Léiríonn an t-eolas atá faighte againn ón mbliain seo caite nár cheart dúinn fanacht inár dtost maidir le cúinsí saoil leanaí. Tá mé tar éis machnamh a dhéanamh ar mo ról féin mar Ombudsman do Leanaí agus ar thábhacht obair na hÓifige seo agus an chabhair uathúil is féidir linne a sholáthar i gcás chearta an linbh a chosaint. Na trí réimsí is mó suntais ná:

1. Maoirseacht neamhspleách – cuirimid seirbhís gearán ar fáil le monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar ghníomhaíochtaí an Stáit i leith leanaí. Cé go ndéanann m’Oifig iniúchadh ar ghearáin ó bhaill den phobal de ghnáth, d’athraigh muid ár gcur chuige i 2008 agus thug muid aghaidh ar líon iniúchtaí de réir mo thola féin.
2. Athrú reachtaíochta – Tá dualgas orm comhairle a thabhairt d’Airí i gcás aon ábhar a bhaineann le cearta agus leas an linbh. Thosaigh 2008 le cuireadh dom bualadh le Coiste an Oireachtais um Leasú Bunreachta maidir le Leanaí. Tá mé fós den tuairim go bhfuil gá athruithe Bunreachtúla a dhéanamh le cinntiú go mbíonn leas an linbh ina thosaíocht in aon reachtaíocht nua.
3. Dul i gcomhairle le leanaí – conas a chloisimid a bhfuil le rá acu. Muidne an t-aon institiúd neamhspleách, reactúil ar a bhfuil an dualgas dul i gcomhairle le leanaí agus béim a chur ar a bhfuil le rá acu.

“Mar is léir ó na gearáin atá laistigh de Thuarascáil Bhliantúil 2009, tá uirlis athchóirithe neamhspleách de dhíth ar leanaí fós agus beidh sé ina riachtanas dóibh sa Stát seo go ceann tréimhse mhaith ama eile” A dúirt sí mar chríoch.

Críoch