Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 26 June 2025
Committee on Children and Equality
Engagement with Office of the Ombudsman for Children
2:00 am
Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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Perhaps I will get some of the questions I asked in the first round answered. My first question relates to the 2023 UCD report, which details the organised and systemic sexual exploitation of children in State care, including children being trafficked to hotels for abuse, the failure of professionals to identify and take action on clear signs of exploitation, and the lack of consistent Garda and Tusla responses. What has the ombudsman's response to this been? What actions has his office taken? This is a really urgent issue. What has the ombudsman's office done to highlight this crisis?
The child death review called for the establishment of a central national review mechanism. I echoed these calls when they were made. Given the current system and parameters, what can the ombudsman's organisation and the Government do to improve the situation? Those are my first two questions. I will ask the other questions later.