The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was set up to improve the delivery of education services to persons with special educational needs arising from disabilities with particular emphasis on children. The Council was first established as an independent statutory body by order of the Minister for Education and Science in December 2003.
For more information, you may wish to access the following link: Contact the NCSE.
Phone: 046 948 6400 (General line) | 046 948 6432 (Local NSCE services)
Web: www.ncse.ie
The Ombudsman for Children may investigate a complaint made by a child, a family member, or a professional, who has dealings with the child. The bodies that may be investigated by the Ombudsman for Children include Government Departments, the HSE, schools, and public hospitals.
The Employment Equality Acts do not extend to generalised bullying or harassment which is not linked to the discriminatory ground. For further information on bullying or harassment not connected to the nine grounds you should contact the Health and Safety Authority (HSA).
The HSA provides information and advice on bullying in the workplace. The HSA makes sure that the system of work is not one where bullying is facilitated or tolerated. Where bullying is identified (through a legitimate complaint) employers should have a proper system to deal with bullying complaints, and act reasonably in implementing that system. The HSA can assess this system and make recommendations, and where required, use powers of enforcement to ensure the system is reasonable and the management of bullying does not represent a risk to the employee’s health and/or safety.
Phone: 1890 289 389
Web: http://www.hsa.ie
The Ombudsman for Children’s Office may investigate a complaint made by a child and a young person under the age of 18, or a family member, or a professional, who has dealings with the child or person under the age of 18. The bodies that may be investigated by the Ombudsman for Children include Government Departments, the HSE, schools, and public hospitals. For more information, you may wish to access the following link: Making a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children’s Office.
The Ombudsman for Children can investigate complaints relating to the administrative actions of a school recognised by the Department of Education and Skills provided the complainant has firstly and fully followed the school’s complaints procedures. You can access more information regarding school complaints at the following link: Complaints about schools.
Age Action supports and advocates for equality and human rights for older people in Ireland.
The National Disability Authority (NDA) is the independent statutory body that provides information and advice to the Government on policy and practice relevant to the lives of persons with disabilities.
Children’s Rights Alliance unites over 100 members working together to make Ireland one of the best places in the world to be a child. Children’s Rights Alliance improves the lives of all children and young people by ensuring Ireland’s laws, policies and services comply with the standards set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
DFI’s vision is an Ireland where people with disabilities and disabling conditions are fully included and enabled to reach their full potential.
Phone: (01) 454 7978
Community Law & Mediation is a community law centre which provides free legal advice, advocacy and mediation and education services.
Phone: (01) 847 7804
The Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means. Legal advice is any oral or written advice given by a solicitor or barrister, including writing letters and negotiations. Legal aid is representation by a solicitor or barrister in court proceedings. The Legal Aid Board has a number of centers across the country, and the best way to find the one most convenient to you is to contact the Legal Aid Board directly.
The Free Legal Advice Centre (FLAC) provide confidential, basic legal advice for free and in person across all areas of law. FLAC offers a network of advice clinics around Ireland and you may be able to identify the most suitable one at the following link: Legal Advice Clinic.
Phone: Lo-Call: 1890 350 250
Web: https://www.flac.ie/
Citizens Information Centres (CICs) provide free, impartial information, advice and advocacy from more than 215 locations around the country.
Phone: 0761 07 4000
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner was established to protect individuals’ right to privacy by enabling people to exercise control over how their personal information is used, in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003. If a person or organisation holds personal information about you on computer or on paper file, you may ask them if they hold such information and to give you access to it. Section 3 of the Data Protection Acts provides that you have a right to find out and/or be given a description free of charge, of information held about you. Section 4 of the Data Protection Acts says that you have a right to obtain a copy of such information.
The Office of the Ombudsman examines complaints about the administrative actions of Government Departments; the Health Service Executive; local authorities and various other State agencies. Complaints can be made in relation to a wide range of issues, such as entitlement to public services, taxation, housing, education and social welfare.
The Office of the Information Commissioner investigates complaints of compliance with the FOI Acts and also provides information to the public in relation to the Acts. In general terms, under the FOI Act a requester makes a request for records (electronic or paper documents) and the public body must issue a decision on that request within four weeks. The Public Body may decide to release all of the information requested, to release part of it, or to refuse all of it. A requester may appeal the decision to the public body (within 4 weeks). The public body must carry out a review and issue a further decision. In the event the requester is still not satisfied they can appeal to the Office of the Information Commissioner.
For further guidance on how the Office of the Information Commissioner interpret and apply the Freedom of Information Act, you may wish to access the following link: Guidance Notes.
Information and Customer Services (ICS), formerly known as Workplace Relations Customer Services, is responsible for the provision of information relating to employment rights, equality and industrial relations matters by means of a telephone call-in service manned by experienced Information Officers
Phone: 059 9178990 | Lo-call: 1890 80 80 90 * (09.30 - 17.00, Monday to Friday)
Web: https://www.workplacerelations.ie/en/contact_us/contact-details/