UCC expert named new child protection rapporteur
Conor O’Mahony of University College Cork has been appointed as the new Special Rapporteur on Child Protection.
He has been appointed for a three-year term and will replace Geoffrey Shannon.
It follows an open competition run by the Public Appointments Service.
As director of UCC’s Child Care Law Clinic, Mr O’Mahony has supported litigation concerning children and advocated for law reform in the area of child law.
He has also published widely on his areas of expertise and contributes regularly to analysis in the national media.
Mr O’Mahony holds a PhD from the University of Wales, Aberstwyth, and has lectured in UCC since 2005.
He has been invited to address sessions of the Constitutional Convention, the Citizens’ Assembly, and a number of Oireachtas committees.
A regular contributor to debate and analysis in national media, he has been an outspoken critic of the State’s treatment of survivors of child sex abuse.
Mr O’Mahony has also said that the Government’s view that a referendum may be required to give adopted people full access to their records and birth information does “not survive scrutiny”.
Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone announced the appointment and described Mr O’Mahony as having a “distinguished career” in the area of child law, children’s rights and constitutional law.
Ms Zappone also praised the “dedication and commitment” shown by the outgoing Special Rapporteur, Dr Geoffrey Shannon, the outgoing Special Rapporteur on Child Protection.
“He has delivered a comprehensive annual report to Government in each of the years 2007 to 2018,” said Ms Zappone.
The child welfare and protection matters raised in his reports are relevant to a broad span of departments and statutory agencies.
“I consider that his reports have provided important input into the development and review of child protection policy and legislation and have provided an objective and independent expert view of the child protection system in Ireland.”
