You are here:
Healthcare
Listen 
Game 
What does this mean?
It’s your right to have the best health care possible, safe water to drink, nutritious food, a clean and safe environment and information to help you stay well.
Some families get medical cards and their visits to the doctor and the hospital are free.
If you have a disability, you may be able to get help or financial supports from the Government to help you access different services.
EXAMPLE: As a child, you get free vaccinations to help prevent you from getting sick.
Learn more about this right
Do I have this right in Ireland?
- UNCRC, article 24 – it’s your right to have the best health care possible, safe water to drink, nutritious food, a clean and safe environment and information to help you stay well.
- Under the Health Act 1970, it’s your right to get certain aspects of health care for free as a child, such as free GP visits until you are 6 years old.
- Under the Health Act 1970, it’s the right of all people who live in Ireland to have access to health services. Some people have the right to a medical card if their income is below a certain figure. If you have a medical card, this means you don’t pay for GP or hospital visits.
- Under the Mental Health Act 2001, it’s your right to receive good quality mental health care; to be informed about your treatment, to have your best interests taken into account and to be treated with respect and dignity.
Doing a project?
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines ‘health’ as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Therefore, health is about more that the absence of illness and disease.
- The Health Service Executive (HSE) is the agency responsible for delivering health and personal care social services in Ireland.
- In 2016, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said Ireland should improve mental health services for children.
- Self-harm has increased by 21% among 10-24 year olds from 2007-2017.
- One in four children living in Ireland is obese or overweight.
- By November 2018, 93% of children under the age of 6 are registered for free GP care.
- According to the National Patient Treatment Register, there were 8,468 children on waiting lists for either day care or inpatient care in March 2019.
- Where you live, if you’re a migrant or if you’re LGBTI, these factors can make it harder to get good healthcare for young people in Ireland.
Links to other organisations
- Children in Hospital Ireland – Find out more about what hospital can be like from Children in Hospital Ireland
- Stepping up– Stepping Up provides information for young people with long-term illnesses on moving to adult healthcare services
- Jigsaw – Jigsaw works in the area of young people’s mental health. Find out more about Jigsaw’s activities and services.
- Barnardos– Information for young people on taking care of your well-being is available from Barnardos
- Safe Food– Take a look at the food pyramid and find out more about healthy eating from Safe Food.
- Active School Flag – Find out more about the Active School Flag project
- Join the Dots
- Take My Hand
