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Government fails Traveller, migrant children and those who are at risk of poverty

The Children’s Rights Alliance gave the government an overall ‘C’ grade in this year’s report card.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS received an overall ‘C’ grade in the Children’s Rights Alliance annual report card.

However, it failed the group’s tests when it came to Traveller and migrant children, receiving E and F grades respectively. It also performed poorly in terms of mental health services and child poverty.

The report card – the sixth issued by the Alliance – examines the government’s performance on issues and policies affecting children against their own stated commitments in the Programme for Government 2011 to 2016.

According to the results, the coalition has been “satisfactory” but there is “scope for significant improvement”.

Here are the results which led to the overall ‘C’.

  • Children’s Constitutional Rights: B
  • Early Childhood Care and Education: C+
  • Child Literacy: A-
  • Children with Special Educational Needs: C-
  • School Buildings: B+
  • Patronage and Pluralism in Primary Education: B+
  • Health – Primary Care: C
  • Mental Health: E
  • Alcohol and Drugs: D+
  • Children’s Hospital: C+
  • Child Poverty: E-
  • Area-based Childhood Programme: C+
  • Children and the Social Welfare System: D
  • Child and Family Agency: B+
  • Ryan Report Implementation Plan: B-
  • Youth Homelessness: C+
  • Children in Detention: B+
  • Traveller Children: E
  • Migrant Children: F
  • Inequalities in Family Life: D+

Explanation of Grades:
A: Excellent, making a real difference to children’s lives
B: Good effort, positive results for children
C: Satisfactory attempt, but children still left wanting
D: Barely acceptable performance, little or no positive impact on children
E: Unacceptable, taking steps in the wrong direction, no positive impact on children
F: Fail, taking steps that undermine children’s wellbeing

CEO of the Alliance, Tanya Ward, was positive about the impact a full Cabinet position has had on advancing the cause of children’s rights.

She noted that the government is “ambitious for children” and singled out Education for praise due to advancements in literacy, school buildings and patronage of primary schools.

“We also acknowledge headway with the newly established Child and Family Agency, ending the detention of children in St. Patrick’s institution and the construction of a new facility for young offenders at Oberstown,” she said.

“Notwithstanding this progress, we still see certain children being side-lined by the system or entirely ignored,” added Barnardos chief Fergus Finlay.

“Child poverty remains unacceptably high – 9.3 per cent of children currently live in consistent poverty and 18.8 per cent are at risk. Tackling poverty is a whole-of-government issue and is something that needs to be prioritised in order to see progress next year.”

Traveller children

Commenting on the F grade given in relation to Traveller children, Judge Catherine McGuinness explained that infant mortality rates among the group are 3.6 times greater than those in the general population.

“We are in danger of leaving Traveller children behind unless we include specific commitments in national policy,” she warned.

On another poor grade – relating to migrant children – she noted that more than 10 per cent of Ireland’s school-going children come from a non-Irish background. She called for an immediate end to the current Direct Provision system for asylum seekers.

“The Government has also broken its own promises regarding mental health, with €35 million in ring-fenced funding now standing at only €20 million,” concluded McGuinness.

Download the full report card here>

Read: How a doctor had his asylum request rejected because someone ‘didn’t like him’

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106 Comments
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    Mute Seamus Larkin
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:25 PM

    Terrible comments. We should withdraw our aid from this backward regime until it treats all peoples with human rights.

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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:28 PM

    Could say the same about this country.

    85
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    Mute Ryan Ash
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:56 PM

    @ Begrudgy: For all the criticism of this country, I believe we will be within the first 15 countries in the world to legalise gay marriage in 2015 as well as one of the first to legalise adoption by gay couples.

    That is most definitely a better record on gay rights than Nigeria’s.

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    Mute Marcus power
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:14 PM

    Ryan. ….I hope we can drop the inappropriate. … and dated moniker “gay ” and start just having adoption and marraige as rights in the societies that we live in as citizens. ..taxpayers and residents. …maybe I’m living in a fools paradise ????

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    Mute Donny White
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:40 PM

    Considering there are more convicted rapists than open homosexuals in Nigeria, I would respectfully suggest the good doctor address the more systemic and evil of the two issues.

    157
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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:24 PM

    Hi everyone,
    If you could be mindful and respectful while leaving comments on this article, it would be much appreciated. We have a comments policy that can be read here: http://www.thejournal.ie/comments-policy/
    Any racist, homophobic or offensive comments will be deleted.
    Thanks in advance,
    Aoife

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    Mute Wallace Friend
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:35 PM

    You guys are overzealous with your moderation to the point of censorship.

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    Mute Wallace Friend
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:31 PM

    Whatever happened to freedom of speech? You might not like what they’re saying (and I certainly don’t!) but they do have the right to say it!

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    Mute Colm Durkan
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:37 PM

    No, you don’t have the right to publicly say that homosexuality is the same as paedophilia.

    173
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    Mute Wallace Friend
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:42 PM

    Why?

    I’m not saying I agree there exists such a link, but who are you to censor anyone else saying as they please?

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    Mute Buster Ó Briain
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:53 PM

    They can say what they want, and we have the right to criticise it.

    Having the right to say something doesn’t make it exempt from criticism.

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    Mute Ryan Ash
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:05 PM

    @ Wallace: I don’t see anyone seeking to stop the Ambassador’s right to free speech. Merely he is being attacked and criticised for making such an invalid, untrue and hurtful comparison.

    @ Everyone:

    Normally I am not a fan of his, but I think Noel Whelan summed it up pretty well at the weekend in his Irish Times article:

    “Many liberals seem to be afraid to let a conservative position be heard in the debate. Do they lack confidence in their own ability to counter it? It is worrying at this important moment, a year out from when the people will directly decide on the issue, that a pattern has already developed of seeking to edit out opposing views rather than confront and defeat them.”

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/readiness-to-hurl-the-word-homophobe-may-not-help-the-liberal-reform-agenda-1.1667387

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    Mute Garáiste Ó Churáinn-Seisean
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:07 PM

    Metro Eireann showed poor judgement giving this man an award . Perhaps they should have considered honouring that gay Kenyan writer Ken Binyavanga Wainaina who came out in the past few weeks in a country that being gay is illegal . Countries who have human rights issues whatever the discrimination should have sanctions placed on aid

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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Jan 27th 2014, 11:16 PM

    That would be most countries worldwide so can’t see it working somehow.

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    Mute Sammy Sausages
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    Jan 27th 2014, 10:49 PM

    I don’t like what he said but I’m not a fan of censorship either (or sending solicitor’s letters to gag people)….. I certainly don’t think this Governor should be in line for any type of an award with such an inhumane view of gay people.

    It’s easy to cater to populist opinions in your country, but it takes bravery and strength of character to say what is right.

    44
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