… the State has acknowledged the need to place children’s rights at the heart of Government, through the creation of a senior Cabinet position and accompanying Government department. An important article on the rights of children … has been added to the Constitution …. There have been significant changes to child and family law, as well as recent gender recognition and marriage equality legislation which will impact on the lived reality of LGBT persons and their families …. While there is much to welcome in these reforms, more improvement is needed.
Report by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission to the CRC noting progress made, 2015.
• … the budgets of numerous government departments and State agencies, including the Ombudsman for Children’s Office and the Department of Health, have been reduced since the economic downturn of 2009.
• … social welfare payments, including child benefits and support for children with disabilities, have not been proportionately increased to adequately reflect higher costs of living.
• … the pronounced reductions in budget allocations [money set aside] for Traveller and Roma children.
Concerns voiced in the ‘concluding observations’ on Ireland’s report to the CRC, 2016.
RESPONSE JOURNAL
CONSIDER Visit page 19 of your Response Journal to consider the perspectives on CREATE
Ireland’s report to the CRC in 2016.
Visit page 20 of your Response Journal to create your own ‘children’s rights charter’ for your classroom.
