OPINION: Ireland does not care about children

Back in the economically dark days of 2012, Ireland passed the Children’s Rights Referendum. Ostensibly, this committed to placing children’s welfare at the heart of the Constitution, enshrining the protection of children, and legally prioritising their best interests.
The referendum, while hailed as a milestone for children’s rights, did not inspire voters, with a measly 33.5 per cent turnout. This apathy should have confirmed to us what Ireland has long since demonstrated. Despite the legislative milestone of the referendum, and what we might like to tell ourselves, outside of their own four walls – and sometimes, not even within them – the majority of people in Ireland simply do not care about children.

Education
We don’t need to look far for proof. Ireland’s track record since 2012, and indeed, long before it, reveals a concerning disparity between policy and practice. The reality is that, while the referendum theoretically supports children, the country’s political and social systems routinely fail to deliver on that promise.
Ireland’s shameful record of physical and sexual abuse in schools – the first place outside their home they should feel safe and supported – is well documented. While such abuse may no longer be prevalent, our education system is on its knees.
Chronic underfunding of schools has led to large class sizes and outdated, sometimes decrepit facilities. An unaddressed teacher shortage means educators are stretched thin, with resources and supports for students with specific needs frequently lacking. Teacher training is hideously deficient and under-resourced. Over 160 children could not even access a school place this year. Teachers are still compelled to act as missionaries for the Catholic Church for hours every week, compromising children’s constitutional rights.
Education should be a pathway to opportunity, but in Ireland, for too many children, it is compromised by austerity measures and political inertia, stifling potential across the board. But hey, €9 million for phone pouches will solve it all!

Child poverty
School, however, is sometimes the only place some children can access a hot meal. According to the latest figures from the CSO, over 250,000 children live in poverty, with many families struggling to provide basic needs like food, clothing and housing. Ireland is a wealthy country, with a massive economic surplus. This figure is a damning indictment of governmental neglect.
Children born into poverty are often condemned to a cycle of disadvantage, with limited access to quality education, healthcare and career opportunity. Dr Katriona O’Sullivan’s incredible book, ‘Poor’ is a must-read on this topic. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s economic policies proudly continue to leave children at the mercy of systemic inequality.
Over 4,400 children in Ireland do not even have a home, living in temporary emergency accommodations that are often inadequate, cramped and lacking privacy. Such conditions are detrimental to their emotional and physical wellbeing and safety and hinder their ability to thrive.
The Government’s response has been woefully insufficient, with social housing waiting lists stretching for years and the rental market increasingly unaffordable for many families. Although the Children’s Rights Referendum sought to protect children’s welfare, these children have literally been left out in the cold.

Health
And that’s before we even talk about healthcare. Children are frequently subjected to long waiting times for essential medical treatments.
In 2017, Simon Harris set a target that no child would be waiting longer than four months for scoliosis surgery. Instead, the former Minister for Health has continued to fail upwards, and waiting lists are taking a similar trajectory.
The Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People initiative has been a complete shambles, compromising both children and workers. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has faced severe underfunding and understaffing issues, leaving many young people without access to timely care.
Waiting lists for Primary Care Psychology are years long. The lack of early intervention and long waiting times means that mental-health conditions often worsen. Entirely preventable, but this government simply does not want to know.

Safeguarding
Children who are not safe in their own homes cannot rely on the State for safety, with child-protection services in Ireland remaining under-resourced and overburdened. Tusla has been criticised for delays in handling cases and inadequate follow-up with vulnerable children. The system is heavily reliant on temporary and underqualified and sometimes unvetted staff,
Children who experience neglect, abuse or violence – the most vulnerable of all – are particularly at risk due to these systemic issues. Ireland does not care.
Leo Varadkar said he wanted Ireland to be the best country in Europe to be a child. The reality is laughable.
What was the point of the Children’s Rights Referendum? The evidence overwhelmingly shows that we have consistently failed to honour this commitment to the welfare of children. That is on us.
In the face of this overwhelming evidence, how can we actually look at ourselves in the mirror and say we care about children? We tolerate this. We fail to make it an election issue. We endorse it, by continuing to vote in people who prioritise capitalism over society, and in doing so, fail countless children every day.
Our Proclamation guarantees to ‘cherish all of the children of the nation equally’. Like the Children’s Rights Referendum, it’s sadly not worth the paper on which it’s written.