Children’s ombudsman struggles in funds crisis

THE Office of the Children’s Ombudsman is taking longer to deal with the growing number of calls because of a lack of resources.

Figures show the office received 453 calls in the first six months of this year, including a record 113 calls in June following the publication of the Ryan report into child abuse.

The volume of calls is up 23% compared with the same period last year. Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan said the cases arising out of the contacts were increasingly complex. She told an Oireachtas Committee her budget allocation is €2.31m – down from €2.46m last year.