On October 1st, Professor Ursula Kilkelly, Professor Conor O'Mahony and Dr Aisling Parkes adressed the Oireachtas Joint Commitee on Children and Equality. 

UCC experts in law and international children's rights Professor Ursula Kilkelly, Professor Conor O'Mahony and Dr Aisling Parkes (Special Rapporteur on Child Protection) adressed the Committee as part of its deliberations on proposals to incorporate the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child into Irish Law.

The UNCRC sets out the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of every person under the age of 18.  Although Ireland ratified the agreement in 1992, it has never been fully integrated into Irish law.

The Committee’s deliberations mark an important moment in considering how these internationally recognised rights can be given stronger effect in Irish law and in the everyday lives of children and young people.

Speaking after the Committee, Professor O'Mahony said: 

“The debate about the incorporation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child into Irish law is crucially important to the future of children’s rights in Ireland. My colleagues and I were honoured to be asked to contribute to the Committee’s consideration of this issue, and delighted that UCC School of Law was recognised for its leading contributions in the study of children’s rights law. We look forward with great interest to the Committee’s report."

 Dr Aisling Parkes said:

“It is so incredibly important that discussions concerning Ireland’s incorporation of the UNCRC are finally taking place. If children's rights and child protection in Ireland are to be truly realised, they must be visible in our laws, enforceable in our courts, and central to our decision-making. Incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is an essential step towards that goal."

Professor Ursula Kilkelly said: 

“After decades of researching how countries around the world implement and legally incorporate the Convention on the Rights of the Child, I got to present this evidence to the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Equality. Chaired by Keira Keogh the debate was a really positive and practical exchange about what form incorporation might take in Ireland and what benefits it would have for children and young people. At the initiative of the Ombudsman for Children's office, it was great to see this debate begin in earnest in Ireland."