Dr Niall Muldoon

Dr Niall Muldoon yesterday told Ireland’s independent pandemic evaluation panel that children suffered disproportionately as a result of Covid measures implemented by the State during the pandemic.

These measures included, among others, the closure of schools for prolonged periods in 2020 and 2021, the shutting down of playgrounds and play facilities, the cancellation of sports and other activities, and restrictions on movement, all of which significantly disrupted children’s lives.

A child rights impact assessment (CRIA) carried out by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) in 2021 found that school closures impacted a child’s right to education, the highest attainable standard of health and mental health, protection from harm and abuse and the right to engage in play.

Dr Muldoon said: “It is essential that the impact on children of the Covid restrictions are put on the record when evaluating the pandemic to guide any future decision-making in highly volatile and evolving situations, and we are grateful for the opportunity to come before the panel.

“There is no doubt that children suffered immensely as a result of the measures put in place during this time, particularly those children who were already vulnerable.

“While everyone appreciates that the pandemic plunged the world into uncharted territory, particularly in the early days as the crisis was unfolding, there were opportunities along the way as health measures began taking effect, where children’s rights could and should have been considered.

“I believe, as I did then, that the State did not give sufficient attention to children and their rights when making decisions that impacted them, causing them to experience negative effects on their physical and mental health, with an increase in children seeking acute mental health care during the pandemic.

“I am advocating for the inclusion of a children’s rights expert in emergency structures e.g. NPHET established during crisis situations and for children’s views to be included in some form to improve outcomes.”

He added that while “the extent of long-term impacts on children are still only emerging”, it was already clear from the 2021 CRIA that “the impacts of the pandemic were not felt equally by all children”.

The pandemic exacerbated “existing inequalities experienced by particular groups of children, including children with disabilities, children living in Direct Provision, Traveller and Roma children, children with mental health difficulties, children experiencing homelessness, LGBTI+ children, and children in households at high risk of Covid-19”, he said.

Dr Muldoon continued: “As ombudsman for children, these were issues that my office highlighted throughout the pandemic and it would be remiss in this reflection exercise not to take real learnings from measures taken in relation to children to guide any future decisions in a volatile situation.

“If we truly want to protect children’s rights in future crises, we need child-focused voices like the Ombudsman for Children’s Office in the room with key decision makers.There should also be a format for linking directly with children around specific issues, so that their voices are heard and taken into account at the decision making stage.

“I have also raised with the panel that by fully and directly incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into domestic law now, the State could better protect children’s rights by ensuring those rights are always considered at the decision making table.”