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A NUMBER OF human rights and children’s groups have come out demanding political action to address a number of issues highlighted in the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s (UNCRC) report on Ireland.
The UNCRC examined Ireland’s children’s rights record last month for the first time in almost 1o years.
The final report welcomes a number of changes implemented in Ireland based on its last set of recommendations, issued in 2006. These include:
However, the organisation highlights a number of negative issues regarding the rights of children in Ireland, including:
Criticism
On the back of the report, a number of organisations have called for any incoming government to address the issues outlined.
April Duff, Chairperson of Education Equality, said that the discrimination against non-religious children must be stopped:
“The status quo is unsustainable.”
Many parents who are non-religious, or who practice minority religions, are unable to get their children into local schools and immediate action is needed by the incoming government to address this pressing human rights issue.
Meanwhile, Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance, expressed her happiness with the positive elements of the report, but said that there were still many issues that needed to be addressed.
“Throughout the report, the Committee consistently highlights vulnerable children, in particular Traveller and Roma children,” she said.
They express ‘deep concern’ about the number of Traveller children with no access to adequate water and sanitation and also call for a new strategy to address racism.
Strong criticism
Amnesty International took the publishing of the report to once again strongly criticise Ireland’s position on abortion, calling for immediate action to be taken once the next government is established.
“These are very serious condemnations of Ireland’s restrictive and punitive position on abortion,” said Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland.
The next government can neither hide from nor deny the reality that the eighth amendment is causing serious violations of the human rights of women and girls. It is surely crystal clear now that a referendum is needed.
The repealing of the Eight Amendment, which grants equal status to the life of the mother and the unborn child, is shaping up to be a key election issue, with many groups demanding a referendum be held within the lifetimes of the next government.
“The time for dodging this issue is past,” said O’Gorman.
No Irish government can continue to bury its head in the sand as women and girls are forced to leave their homes and families to access the care that they need in other countries.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs welcomed the publication of the report, saying that it will be referred to the different departments that relate to the rights of children.
The UNCRC recommended in its report that Ireland address the above issues and submit a periodic report by 27 October 2021, when it will once again examine the country’s record.
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The trough just keeps getting bigger.
@Mel Fitzpatrick: not nearly as big as the social welfare entitlement trough.
@John Terry: Lol, silly comment
With less population per TD now, are they up for a paycut? Seems only fair.
They’re the least of our concerns at the moment going week to week watching those gombeans talk nonsense in the dail year in year out they’ve certainly done a fantastic job with the housing crisis over the last 10 years the future looks great if you can live in a house the size of a kennel
Now we have to listen to more waffle, pay more to hear it , this country is going down the swamp, since these crowd have taken over , we need a new party for the Irish taxpayers, not the European Puppet masters.
Netherlands 15 million has 150
Wixford lol
@Modern Irish Dad: Where’s that?? Lol
Gombeens, party comes first, then the pinsion, then the unvouched expenses, then the subsistence for turning up to do your job, What a great little country.
Lucky for Josepha Madigan but less lucky for others.
Swings and roundabouts!
@Nestor:
Definitely.
Senator Malcom Byrne FF will be counting his lucky stars, he’s based in gorey which will probably be the biggest town in the new constituency. I’d say one SF, one FF and anyones guess for the last.
Which Wexford TD will lose out?
If I was Paul Kehoe I would be worried as would the Green TD in Wicklow
@P.J. Nolan: I’m in Gorey and I’d absolutely vote for the Green TD in Wicklow over Snr Malcolm Byrne.
Unlikely you will get the chance, Steven Matthews is based in Bray.
It’s about time we had more TD’s to make us feel safe in our homes…
Is wixford a new constituity.
@Terry Mckenna: don’t give them ideas they might actually try it wouldn’t surprise us
@Terry Mckenna: ya, not to be confused with Wexlow
I read all these comments and I think, if you think you can do better then get elected. But ye won’t because you prefer to belly ache. Get over yourselves, it’s Democracy
Amazing how they adhere to the constitution when it suits them.
Anyone who votes for any one of this crowd in government who have lied consistently to their own people with regard to illegal migrants, fake Ukrainian refugees, their anti farmer stance, the price gouging by the banks and ultility companies, their attack on our freedoms during the Covid scam, the climate emergency BS etc etc etc should hang their head in shame. They are working for the WEF/EU/UN not the Irish people. They were able to get beautiful modular homes ready in jig time for military aged men from around the globe while Irish families struggle to put a roof over their heads. Please stop voting for these EU shills. The only reason we don’t have more youth homelessness is many of our graduates have left the country thinking they’ll be fine when they come back with their UAE tax free money, come back to what. Ireland in another decade of the current demographic change being implemented by our so called government won’t exist. Elections have serious consequences.
have your say