The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, T.D. has welcomed the Sixth Report of the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection [2012] and the re-appointment of Dr. Geoffrey Shannon as Special Rapporteur.
Dr Shannon was originally appointed in June 2006, along with Professor Finbarr McAuley. The appointment was for a period of three years commencing on 13th June 2006 and ending on 12th June 2009 and following a Government Decision on 20th April, 2010, Dr Shannon was re-appointed as sole Special Rapporteur on Child Protection for a further period of three years, ending 19th April 2013 this year.
The functions of the Special Rapporteur are:
to keep under review and to audit legal developments for the protection of children;
to assess what impact, if any, litigation in national and international courts will have on child protection;
to prepare, annually, a report setting out the results of the previous year’s work. This report will be submitted to the Dáil and Seanad for consideration and debate and be published; and
to examine, upon request, the scope and application of existing legislative provisions and to make comments/recommendations as appropriate.
The Rapporteur is accountable to the Oireachtas and is entitled to consult with Departments of Government and the Ombudsman for Children about any legislative initiatives designed to enhance child protection.
All of the reports of the Special Rapporteur have been laid before the Oireachtas and are published on the website of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
Dr. Shannon’s 2012 report addresses a number of areas, as follows:
Child Protection and Developments in International Law;
Protecting Children from Children – Bullying
The Law on Guardianship of Children
Miscellaneous Domestic Issues
Minister Fitzgerald stated: “As in previous years, the report of the Child Protection Rapporteur has been brought to the attention of my Government colleagues, many of whom have responsibility for issues impacting on children’s lives.
The majority of recommendations relate to the Department of Justice and Equality, regarding children seeking asylum in Ireland, and legislative issues around guardianship of children.
Recommendations in relation to bullying are cross-departmental in their focus, impacting on the Departments of Justice and Equality, Children and Youth Affairs and Education and Skills.”
On Dr Shannon’s re-appointment, Minister Fitzgerald stated: ‘I would like to thank Dr Shannon for his work in this area and I am happy to confirm the Government’s invitation to him to continue in his role as Special Rapporteur on Child Protection for a further three years.
Dr Shannon’s reports on legal developments relating to the protection of children and the assessment of what impact, if any, litigation in national and international courts will have on child protection, have informed policy and have provided an objective and independent expert view of the child protection system in Ireland.
Dr Shannon is widely respected for his expertise and as a champion of children’s rights and their best interests. The availability of an independent perspective from someone with the level of knowledge and expertise that Dr Shannon holds, is a valuable resource to us.
This perspective will be of particular importance over the next few years as we continue our ambitious programme of legislative and administrative changes for child protection and welfare in Ireland. I look forward to continuing to work with Dr Shannon over the coming years.’
Read the Sixth Report of the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection [2012]
here.