Victor Boyhan urges full UNCRC incorporation into Irish law
Victor Boyhan responds to the Ombudsman for Children's report and calls for the full incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Irish law. He also reflects on cross-party engagement at a women in agriculture event and the push for the National Year of the Woman Farmer 2026.
Reaction to the Ombudsman report
Victor Boyhan welcomes the Ombudsman for Children’s role and acknowledges extensive media coverage of the report. He highlights the Ombudsman’s comment that, 34 years after ratification, the Ombudsman has called for full incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Irish law.
Legal and policy implications
Boyhan stresses that Ireland has ratified the Convention and argues that government should now take steps to incorporate it into domestic law. He notes the complexity of implementation across departments and recalls related debates during the Mental Health Bill, where the Convention repeatedly arose.
Context within parliamentary work
The TD acknowledges the Minister’s point that incorporation is a cross-governmental challenge, not limited to health or children’s services. He urges progress on the matter while reaffirming support for the Ombudsman’s engagement with Oireachtas committees.
Women in agriculture and cross-party collaboration
Boyhan thanks members from across the House who attended a women in agriculture event the previous evening. He describes it as a positive example of collaboration, highlighting momentum behind the proposed National Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 and the importance of equal opportunity in agricultural careers.
Next steps and tone
The address combines a call for legislative action with appreciation for constructive, cross-party engagement. Boyhan requests that the incorporation of the Convention be progressed where possible and recognises the value of sustained parliamentary scrutiny.
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Thank you Cathaoirleach and Leader. Leader, I just want to touch on the issue of the Ombudsman's report. It was covered very extensively on all social media outlets and indeed on Morning Ireland this morning. And I suppose one of the things that jumped out at me, as always I'm very supportive of the Ombudsman. I know we all are here. Some might describe a thorn in the side of government but that's always not a bad thing. We need to be proud of every now and again and we need to be challenged in around issues around children and there's a very strict protocol and code around the conduct of the work of any Ombudsman and he's always within the parameters of that. So I welcome all of that and I know he's engaged extensively through the Oireachtas committees on children but also in response to Oireachtas engagement generally. So I want to acknowledge that. But he raised that at the very end of his statement as published today by RTE. He raises and mentions this and it's his words not really mine. He says 34 years on from the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Ombudsman for Children has called for a full incorporation of the Convention into Irish law. And Dr Muldoon goes on to describe that Ireland's EU presidency as a pivotal moment in the time of rights across the board. And I agree with him. And you will recall, Leader, we had a very extensive and indeed robust engagement in relation to the Mental Health Bill and this particular convention kept coming up. And in fairness to the Minister, she pointed out that it is really a challenge across all aspects of government, not just health and not just mental health and not just children. And, you know, we have ratified this convention and it is important therefore that we now proceed to take steps to seek that it is fully incorporated into Irish law and I would ask that that would be progressed if possible. And finally, in just one sentence, I want to thank members right across the House last night who came here last night and engaged in women in agriculture. It was an exceptionally positive sense of engagement. I met the Minister afterwards and he too took away from that that great sense of cross-party engagement in relation to the promotion of the UN designation of the National Year of the Woman Farmer 2026. And I think it showed that when we work together, collaborate with each other, we can get consensus. And it's not all about consensus and I don't really like consensus in politics. That's not necessarily a good thing either. But a sense of positivity about promoting and enhancing equal opportunity for women and men to access all aspects of a meaningful career in agriculture. So I want to thank everyone who spent the time here, actively engaged. I think it was a really good evening's work and we've had tremendous feedback from it. Thank you.
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