Complaints to the Children’s Ombudsman soared by 79% last year, with 2% of the complaints coming from Donegal.
2,126 complaints were made to the Ombudsman for Children’s Office in 2021, 908 of them were linked to covid related issues like restrictions in schools, uncertainty over the Leaving Cert and supports for children with disabilities during the pandemic.
53% of complaints were related to education, with 10% of those about bullying.
There were 42 complaints from Donegal, 2% of the national total, the same percentage as in 2020.
Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon said while the increase can be partly attributed to a resumption of services following the blanket closures of 2020, a large proportion of complaints related directly to Covid-19 issues.
He concluded children are often recognised for their ability to learn, to adapt, and to accept change, but in 2021, even the most resilient child was tested.
