There has been a sharp increase in the number of complaints to the Ombudsman for Children in the last four months, it was revealed today.
As President Mary McAleese opened a permanent new home for the body in Dublin, it emerged the amount of complaints received since May almost matched the total number received in the previous 12 months.
In the 18 months since the Office opened in May 2004, demand for services risen sharply with a 75 per cent increase in complaints since the beginning of the Summer. A total of 177 complaints were received in the first year of the Office.
Emily Logan, Children's Ombudsman, said no matter how heavy the workload that the body was committed to doing all in its power to help vulnerable children. "The nature of complaints is far more complex and sensitive than anything we have seen before, and many of the complaints we are receiving are from some of the more vulnerable members of society," she said.
"The types of complaints we have received recently have raised many rights issues and demonstrate the urgent need for children to have express rights in the Constitution. I will report publicly on some of these complaints later in the autumn." Ms Logan said it was real challenge to meet the needs of children but said more staff would be joining the office in the coming months to ease the workload.