Twenty-seven complaints were made to the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) in 2023 on behalf of children in Donegal, a new report shows.
There was a 3% increase in the number of complaints from county Donegal, while a total of 1,790 complaints were made nationally.
Education was once again the biggest concern, with complaints about access to school
places, bullying, school transport, the State Exams Commission and access to complaint procedures in schools.
Uncertain Times, the OCO’s Annual Report for 2023, shows that complaints are becoming more complex, with one in five relating to more than one State agency.
After education (40%), health and Tusla were the most complained about topics (both 23%), along with housing (7%). While not in the OCO’s remit, a notable 4% of complaints related to Early Childhood Education and Care, for which there is no robust oversight of the complaints.
The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon from Donegal, said: “Children’s issues are fighting for Government’s attention at a time when there is a housing crisis, a cost-of-living crisis, an international protection crisis, and when our public services are under increasing pressure.
“These issues are all having an unquantifiable impact on children too, yet they are not necessarily seen as children’s issues, thus protecting the State from having to properly fulfil its obligation to them.”
Dr Muldoon said this is seen particularly when it comes to children’s health and mental health services.
“Children are still waiting far too long for vital, life-changing spinal surgeries and our Children’s Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are not uniformly of a high standard across the board. In some parts of the country, as the Mental Health Commission Review showed last year, these services are completely unfit for purpose.
“There are some parents of children with complex disabilities who are being forced to leave their children at hospitals and special schools in the hope of triggering the right supports and services they need to care for them at home. While we are also still concerned about the safety and welfare of children in Direct Provision.
“Homelessness and family homelessness in particular is at an all-time high, with the number of children without a home surpassing the 4,000 mark at the start of the year. And yet Ireland is one of the richest countries in the world. For many children thankfully, Ireland is indeed a great place to grow up in and they are living happy and fulfilled lives. But this is not the case for all.”
