The 2015 Children’s Amendment to the Constitution was “an opportunity lost” and a “timid version of reform” in the area of children’s rights, according to the newly appointed special rapporteur on child protection. Conor O’Mahony said that while Ireland is making progress in the area of children’s rights, it is starting from “a fair way back”, saying the children’s rights referendum outcome was “mostly window-dressing”. “I always felt that the time of the Children Amendment in 2012 was an opportunity lost,” said Mr O’Mahony. So, that was a real opportunity lost, unfortunately,” he said. But, at the same time, I think the decision to have a separate standalone agency was the right one,” he said.

Source: Irish Examiner October 29, 2019 05:42 UTC