The Children's Right Alliance, a coalition of 72 non-Governmental organisations, has urged the Government to implement a four-step plan aimed at protecting Irish children over the next year.
The alliance said the Government has been examining the steps for the past year and should begin implementing them.
The four steps are: the vetting of people who work with children in the voluntary and community sector, training regarding the Children First guidelines for all Irish workers, an increase in the number of social service and childcare workers and the establishment of a child death review committee.