Tipperary Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has called on the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Children to reinforce their commitments to a workable and effective National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence by involving the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO), as initially promised.
The Cashel-based TD and Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsman made the call based upon a recent discussion with the OCO on the matter.
The Department of Justice had asked the office of the Ombudsman for Children and if they would consider overseeing the actions concerning children – however this has not been progressed and no resources for the extra work has been allocated.
“Ultimately, the Department of Justice eventually admitted that it was not going to happen and sought to pass responsibility off on the Department of Children” according to Deputy Browne.
Deputy Browne is calling on both senior ministers to provide the resources that would enable the Ombudsman for Children to contribute to the effectiveness of the strategy.
