UN issues three-year child welfare deadline

A UNITED NATIONS committee has given the Government three years to make major changes to policy, legislation and funding for children’s welfare.

A strongly worded second report by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child it said it was “deeply disappointed” with how the Government had involved children in the criminal justice system.

Minister for Children Brian Lenihan said that while he will act on most of its recommendations, he stood by the right of the Irish Government to decide its own policy, particularly with regards to holding children as young as 10 responsible for more serious crimes.