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Statement by the Ombudsman for Children

Re Investigation into actions by State authorities in taking two children from the Roma community into care

31 October 2013

The Ombudsman for Children Emily Logan has reached agreement to secure the power to investigate the Irish police force’s (An Garda Síochána) actions in recent events in which two children were taken in to state care.

The Ombudsman said the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter was giving her the power under Section 42 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 for this particular investigation.

She said the Minister was giving her the power in response to her concerns regarding the limitation of her statutory remit in relation to An Garda Síochána.

The Ombudsman for Children can undertake an own volition investigation into the actions of the Health Service Executive (HSE), under Section 10 (1) (a) (ii) of the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002. This section provides that the Ombudsman for Children may conduct an investigation where an action may have adversely affected a child, where there may have been maladministration and where she considers that an investigation would be warranted.

The Office of the Ombudsman for Children was set up to promote the rights and welfare of children, provide an independent complaints handling service for issues affecting children under the age of 18 and to initiate its own investigations.

The Ombudsman for Children said: “We make sure that the law is upheld, that citizens’ rights are protected and that good standards of public administration are applied. As always, I intend to conduct an independent, impartial investigation from first principles.”

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Organisation Contact Details:

Ombudsman for Children - Ireland
Millennium House
52-56 Great Strand Street
Dublin 1
Ireland
Tel: + 353 1 8656 800
Email: oco@oco.ie
Website: www.oco.ie

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Last updated 05/11/2013 16:16:59