OCO Survey on Extremism, Discrminiation and Gender Roles

Discrimination, extremism and ‘traditional’ gender roles all on the radar for young people in new survey from the OCO  

• 25% say their friends have views that some people would consider extreme
• 64% of students associate extremist views with boys and men
• 63% hear more extreme views online than in person
• 69% agree discrimination is a major issue in Ireland
• 84% hear negative comments about immigration or housing
• 61% hear views that society should revert to ‘traditional’ gender roles

A new survey from the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) on Emerging Social Issues in Modern Ireland shines a light for the first time on the impact on children of a rise in extremism, discrimination and shifting attitudes toward gender roles. 626 students in 28 secondary schools across the country took part in the online survey, which revealed that 63% of young people come across extremist views online, compared to just 6% in real life.  

• December 2025
• Type: Report
• Topic: Disability|Housing|Immigration|LGBTQ+