Ombudsman for Children

About the Role

The Ombudsman for Children is appointed under the Ombudsman for Children Act, 2002, and operates independently in performing all functions while being accountable to the Oireachtas. The role is filled by appointment from the President of Ireland.

The main functions of the Ombudsman for Children include:

• Promoting the rights and welfare of children by advising the Government on policy and service development for children;
• Encouraging public bodies, schools, and voluntary hospitals to adopt policies and practices that respect children’s rights;
• Collecting and sharing information about children’s rights and welfare;
• Raising public awareness (including among children and young people) about children’s rights and welfare issues, and explaining how the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child can be better respected and protected;
• Highlighting children’s rights issues that children themselves are concerned about to relevant stakeholders, including the Government;
• Sharing information and ideas with Ombudsmen for Children in other countries;
• Developing methods to consult regularly with groups of children;
• Undertaking, promoting, or publishing research relating to children’s rights and welfare;
• Monitoring, reviewing, and advising on legislation, including assessing the impact of proposed legislation on children and reviewing existing laws relating to children’s rights and welfare;
• Reviewing the Ombudsman for Children Act from time to time and proposing changes where appropriate;
• Examining and investigating complaints made by or on behalf of children, and issuing recommendations to public bodies to improve their processes and procedures for dealing with children;
• Producing an annual report on the operation of the Office;
• Attending before Oireachtas Committees;
• Managing the administration of the Office of the Ombudsman for Children and associated resources.

Requirements

A full list of duties and eligibility criteria can be found in the Candidate Information Booklet.

Details

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday 26th of November 2026.

The recruitment for this role is managed by publicjobs.

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act, 1998–2015.

How to Apply

If you would benefit from a confidential discussion about this role, please contact Aoife Lyons at [email protected].