Opening statement – Joint Committee on Education and Youth

Opening statement

Dr. Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children
Joint Committee on Education and Youth
Mental Health Supports in Schools and Youth Settings

22^nd October 2026

Thank you to the Committee for the invitation to provide our perspectives on Mental Health Supports in Schools and Youth Settings.

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak today on this important issue, one which has been a key priority for my Office.

Article 24 the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) guarantees every child the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Addressing children’s mental health and ensuring they have access to the supports they need must be a priority as we plan for Ireland’s future. In this context, it is essential to recognise the central role schools and youth services can play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

In A Piece of My Mind, a children’s mental health survey published by the OCO in 2023, children who responded to the survey were more likely to rely on teachers or school counsellors for their information on mental health, than parents or families.

This demonstrates the unique position schools have as a first port-of-call for information about mental health. It further provides a valuable opportunity for schools to become a central hub for supports and early intervention.

At the same time, school environments can be incredibly stressful for some students, with intense workloads and pressure around exams as major contributing factors towards students feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.  Our Youth Advisory panel have highlighted the need for a greater emphasis on promoting positive mental health within schools.

My office has been advocating for independent therapists to be available in every school across the country since 2018 and we warmly welcome the commencement and since- extension of the 2023 pilot scheme of counselling and wellbeing supports in primary schools.  The recently published evaluation shows the positive outcomes this programme is producing, and I hope to see the pilot extended to encompass all schools in the near future.

There is still a need to develop a multi-sectoral response to mental health in Ireland. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has previously emphasised the need for comprehensive mental health promotion through integrated systems of mental health care, including screening for mental health issues and early intervention services in schools at all levels. Youth settings also play an important role in this regard as well.

I have consistently stressed the importance of child rights budgeting and the allocation of adequate multi-annual resourcing in order to ensure that children’s mental health supports and services are properly planned, funded and designed from the outset to meet children’s needs. Our Youth Advisory Panel have continually highlighted the need for additional resources for mental health supports.

It is impossible to speak about mental health without talking about social media. The online space can pose significant risks to children’s mental health and it is also a place young people are increasingly seeking information and support. The OCO 2023 survey found that almost half of respondents turn to social media for information on mental health.

Schools and youth settings are critical for equipping children with the skills, knowledge and resilience needed to manage the online world, and protect their mental wellbeing. Our Youth Advisory Panel has highlighted the need for more emphasis on digital literacy within the school curriculum, due to the potential damaging impact social media can have on young people’s mental health. As well as increase social medial regulation and education, we also need to invest in youth work to create safe offline spaces for children to fulfil their right to play and recreation.

Finally, the OCO believes that full and direct incorporation of the UNCRC into domestic law is the single most important thing we can do to protect and promote children’s rights. It puts children and their rights at the heart of every decision. It gives us a stronger basis to ensure we are keeping our promises to children, and that includes providing the mental health supports they need to navigate childhood and beyond.

• 22 October 2026