Child Protection

NYCI policy proposal

• To promote the views of youth organisations as they relate to the delivery of child protection policy, practice and procedures for their organisations and their members

Vetting Legislation

NYCI actively engaged with Government and the Oireachtas in the passage of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 .This legislation is part of a suite of complementary legislative proposals to strengthen child protection. While the legislation was passed it has yet to be fully commenced due to complications with regard to spent convictions which arose in recent years. The Minister for Justice and Equality is bringing forward amendments to the vetting legislation in the Spent Convictions Bill. In November 2015 the Minister stated she would bring forward this legislation in the coming months. Pending the amendment and commencement of the vetting legislation, the Gardai are applying an Administrative Filter to vetting applications. For more details see the on the Garda Vetting Filter see Download Announcement (Word Doc) Administrative Filter (Word Doc)

Children and Family Relationships Act 2015

In light of our decision to support a yes vote in the Children’s Referendum in 2012, NYCI supports the inclusion of the key principles of ‘best interest’ and ‘voice of the child’ which were reflected in the Children and Family Relationships Bill and subsequently in the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015. For details on the NYCI submission see

Submission on the Children and Family Relationships Bill

Children First Bill 2014

The main purpose of this legislation is to put the Children First National Guidelines on a statutory basis to implement the Programme for Government commitment in that regard. NYCI was invited to present to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children today to respond to the Heads of the Children First Bill published by Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. NYCI raised a number of issues about the implications of the Bill, in particular for those who work in the youth work sector, including;

• The importance of clarity around reporting thresholds
• Provision for volunteers and affiliated groups or regionally structured organisations
• Linking with Garda Vetting Legislation

Download full text of presentation. (PDF)

This presentation was followed up with a more comprehensive Submission to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on the bill.

Download NYCI’s Final Submission on the Children First Bill

The Children First legislation is currently completing (November 2015) its progress through the Oireachtas and should be enacted by the end of the year. http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/bills28/bills/2014/3014/document1.htm

NYCI Press Release on Children First Bill Presentation https://www.youth.ie/sites/youth.ie/files/Youth%20Council%20presents%20on%20Children%20First%20Heads%20of%20Bill.pdf