Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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328. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if Ireland will support and advocate for drafting of the proposed new optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (details supplied); if he will express support for the new optional protocol before the United Nations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49551/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) has established an open-ended intergovernmental working group with a mandate to explore the possibility of a new fourth optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. I welcome the discussions which took place at the first meeting of this working group in early September 2025, which was attended by Ireland’s Permanent Representation in Geneva.

The working group meeting provided a valuable opportunity to consider the possibility of a fourth Optional Protocol, alongside other approaches which could strengthen the provision of and access to education, including pre-primary education in early childhood.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is a core international human rights Treaty which Ireland unconditionally supports, both in our international engagement and domestic implementation.

The Convention’s obligations on States have enabled significant progress on child rights worldwide, including the right to education. In addition to exploring the possibility of a fourth Optional Protocol, it is important that the working group also examines how best we can continue to ensure the implementation of existing obligations to which UN Member States are committed under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

At a national level, supporting young children’s learning, development and well-being through the ongoing enhancement of early learning and care initiatives such as the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) and the Equal Start programme remain core to First 5, the ambitious Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families.