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COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF REPORT PRESENTED BY IRELAND
13 January 1998
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HR/CRC/98/9
13 January 1998
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this morning concluded its
consideration of the initial report presented by an Irish Government delegation
and recommended that Ireland put more effort in eradicating child poverty.
In preliminary concluding observations and recommendations, the Committee
experts suggested that Ireland adopt a programme of poverty eradication as a
priority. They also recommended that it remove all constitutional obstacles
which hampered the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child. The Committee will offer its final recommendations towards the end of its
session which concludes on 23 January.
Ireland, as one of 191 States parties to the Convention, is obliged to present a
report on how it implements the provisions of the treaty.
The Committee at 3 p.m. will participate in a meeting organized by the United
Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) to launch a guide to the Convention of the
Rights of the Child. (A press release issued by UNICEF on the event is
available PR/GVA/1998.01).
The Committee will resume its public session at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 14
January 1998 to take up the report of the Federated States of Micronesia on
the measures adopted by that country to comply with the provisions of the
Convention.
Discussion of Report
In response to questions raised by Committee members during the previous
session, the Irish delegation reiterated that the rights of "traveller children" were
respected in all spheres, including education. Those children, despite their
nomadic life style, were provided with a mobile school system. The
Government had been operating mobile clinics at sites where the “traveller
families” stopped and had trained “traveller women” to promote health and the
provision of various community based health services.
An expert, commenting on the situation of "travellers", said that that segment of
the Irish population was discriminated against and suffered from segregation.
There were 25,000 "travellers", or nomadic people, who regarded themselves
as a distinct group. In 1991, a European Parliament committee reported that in
Ireland, "the single most discriminated against ethnic group is the 'travelling
people'". The expert asked if the Government had envisaged to increase the
enrolment of "traveller children” in school, and to reduce their unusually high
infant mortality rate.
A further question was raised regarding sexual exploitation of children and
experts asked if the Government had approved a bill to combat the scourge of
sexual exploitation and abuse of children. Experts also asked questions
concerning school drop-outs, sexual education, discrimination against poor
children, child begging, alcohol and drug abuse by teenagers, and psychological
health care for children.
The delegation said that the Government was currently preparing a National
Card Scheme to combat underage drinking in addition to its laws concerning
the prohibition of the use of alcohol and tobacco by minors.
Concerning the problem of begging by children, the delegation said that a small
number of “traveller children” were engaged in begging in the Dublin area.
Although begging was an offence, the authorities had some difficulties in
sanctioning the children of the “traveller families”. However, child begging was
not a major problem in the Irish society.
The number of refugees in Ireland was fewer than in the European context, the
delegation said. However, the applications of 4,000 asylum-seekers were
pending awaiting administrative decisions by the authorities. A problem was
encountered because of the high refugee influx during the last two years. The
Government of Ireland had no special attitudes towards refugees and they were
provided with social, educational and medical facilities like any other Irish
citizens.
Recently, the Government had approved the drafting of a Child Pornography
Bill to enhance the measures already in place to protect children under 17 years
from sexual exploitation and abuse, the delegation said. According to the Bill,
the production, distribution and possession of child pornography would inflict
penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
The Bill, once implemented, would punish offenders of trafficking in children
and their abduction for the purpose of sexual exploitation and abuse with
penalties of up to life imprisonment, the delegation said. The current Irish law
against prostitution did not distinguish between adults and children. A question
was asked again on the importance of the Social Services Inspectorate rather
than that of the system of Ombudsman which was absent in Ireland. The
delegation said that for the moment, the Government had opted for the Social
Services Inspectorate system which also overlooked the implementation of the
Convention.
Access to health care was easy and waiting lists for medical treatment were
reserved only for highly specialized treatment, the delegation said, adding that
such waiting lists did not take more than six months. Medical services were
provided free-of-charge or for a small fee to all persons without distinction.
Preliminary Concluding Observations and Recommendations
The Committee experts expressed their appreciation to the delegation of Ireland
for the frank and generous dialogue. They said that the dialogue was
constructive and non-defensive. However, they said that there was a lack of
real commitment by Ireland in implementing a more integrated and global
approach to children.
Experts recommended, among other things, that the implementation of the
provisions of the Child Care Act should be accelerated; that the constitutional
review should take the lead in fulfilling the best interests of the child; that funds
be allocated to the campaign to disseminate the Convention; and that a
mechanism be maintained to formalize the dialogue with the community of
non-governmental organizations.
Committee members commended Ireland for the legal measures it had adopted
concerning sexual abuse of children. They said that it would be an example for
other countries which still lacked legal provisions in combatting offenders of
sexual exploitation of children.
They recommended that Ireland adopt a radical programme of poverty
eradication as a priority. They also recommended that the Government remove
all constitutional obstacles which hampered the implementation of the provisions
of the Convention.
HR/CRC/98/9
13 January 1998
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this morning concluded its
consideration of the initial report presented by an Irish Government delegation
and recommended that Ireland put more effort in eradicating child poverty.
In preliminary concluding observations and recommendations, the Committee
experts suggested that Ireland adopt a programme of poverty eradication as a
priority. They also recommended that it remove all constitutional obstacles
which hampered the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child. The Committee will offer its final recommendations towards the end of its
session which concludes on 23 January.
Ireland, as one of 191 States parties to the Convention, is obliged to present a
report on how it implements the provisions of the treaty.
The Committee at 3 p.m. will participate in a meeting organized by the United
Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) to launch a guide to the Convention of the
Rights of the Child. (A press release issued by UNICEF on the event is
available PR/GVA/1998.01).
The Committee will resume its public session at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 14
January 1998 to take up the report of the Federated States of Micronesia on
the measures adopted by that country to comply with the provisions of the
Convention.
Discussion of Report
In response to questions raised by Committee members during the previous
session, the Irish delegation reiterated that the rights of "traveller children" were
respected in all spheres, including education. Those children, despite their
nomadic life style, were provided with a mobile school system. The
Government had been operating mobile clinics at sites where the “traveller
families” stopped and had trained “traveller women” to promote health and the
provision of various community based health services.
An expert, commenting on the situation of "travellers", said that that segment of
the Irish population was discriminated against and suffered from segregation.
There were 25,000 "travellers", or nomadic people, who regarded themselves
as a distinct group. In 1991, a European Parliament committee reported that in
Ireland, "the single most discriminated against ethnic group is the 'travelling
people'". The expert asked if the Government had envisaged to increase the
enrolment of "traveller children” in school, and to reduce their unusually high
infant mortality rate.
A further question was raised regarding sexual exploitation of children and
experts asked if the Government had approved a bill to combat the scourge of
sexual exploitation and abuse of children. Experts also asked questions
concerning school drop-outs, sexual education, discrimination against poor
children, child begging, alcohol and drug abuse by teenagers, and psychological
health care for children.
The delegation said that the Government was currently preparing a National
Card Scheme to combat underage drinking in addition to its laws concerning
the prohibition of the use of alcohol and tobacco by minors.
Concerning the problem of begging by children, the delegation said that a small
number of “traveller children” were engaged in begging in the Dublin area.
Although begging was an offence, the authorities had some difficulties in
sanctioning the children of the “traveller families”. However, child begging was
not a major problem in the Irish society.
The number of refugees in Ireland was fewer than in the European context, the
delegation said. However, the applications of 4,000 asylum-seekers were
pending awaiting administrative decisions by the authorities. A problem was
encountered because of the high refugee influx during the last two years. The
Government of Ireland had no special attitudes towards refugees and they were
provided with social, educational and medical facilities like any other Irish
citizens.
Recently, the Government had approved the drafting of a Child Pornography
Bill to enhance the measures already in place to protect children under 17 years
from sexual exploitation and abuse, the delegation said. According to the Bill,
the production, distribution and possession of child pornography would inflict
penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
The Bill, once implemented, would punish offenders of trafficking in children
and their abduction for the purpose of sexual exploitation and abuse with
penalties of up to life imprisonment, the delegation said. The current Irish law
against prostitution did not distinguish between adults and children. A question
was asked again on the importance of the Social Services Inspectorate rather
than that of the system of Ombudsman which was absent in Ireland. The
delegation said that for the moment, the Government had opted for the Social
Services Inspectorate system which also overlooked the implementation of the
Convention.
Access to health care was easy and waiting lists for medical treatment were
reserved only for highly specialized treatment, the delegation said, adding that
such waiting lists did not take more than six months. Medical services were
provided free-of-charge or for a small fee to all persons without distinction.
Preliminary Concluding Observations and Recommendations
The Committee experts expressed their appreciation to the delegation of Ireland
for the frank and generous dialogue. They said that the dialogue was
constructive and non-defensive. However, they said that there was a lack of
real commitment by Ireland in implementing a more integrated and global
approach to children.
Experts recommended, among other things, that the implementation of the
provisions of the Child Care Act should be accelerated; that the constitutional
review should take the lead in fulfilling the best interests of the child; that funds
be allocated to the campaign to disseminate the Convention; and that a
mechanism be maintained to formalize the dialogue with the community of
non-governmental organizations.
Committee members commended Ireland for the legal measures it had adopted
concerning sexual abuse of children. They said that it would be an example for
other countries which still lacked legal provisions in combatting offenders of
sexual exploitation of children.
They recommended that Ireland adopt a radical programme of poverty
eradication as a priority. They also recommended that the Government remove
all constitutional obstacles which hampered the implementation of the provisions
of the Convention.