Ombudsman waiting 8 years for children's sport concussion policy

The Ombudsman for Children has been waiting eight years for a whole-of-government policy on protecting children from concussion and monitoring the long-term effects of injuries sustained by children playing sport.

Documents released to Saturday with Colm Ó Mongáin in RTÉ Radio reveal no action was taken by the Department of Health, the Department of Sport and the Department of Education on foot of a letter from Dr Niall Muldoon which outlined his concerns, as Ombudsman, for the welfare of children who may incur head injuries while playing contact sports.

In the letter addressed to then Minister for Sport Shane Ross - dated 18 May 2016 - Dr Muldoon wrote that he had received correspondence from the Sport Collision Injury Collective raising "particular concerns in relation to head injury and concussion" and "the fact that a link between repeat concussions and cognitive impairment and other long-term problems has been found".

While acknowledging the huge benefits to children from active participation in sport, he said "at a government level, it is important that a reasonable approach is taken to reduce the risk of injury in sports".

"It would be useful if the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Department of Education would consider developing a system of reporting injuries across all sports so that information can be gathered in relation to how children are getting injured in sports, including rugby," Dr Muldoon said.

He also advised it would be "prudent" for the three Departments to "monitor the longer term consequences of how children are affected by any serious injuries they receive during sport, both in schools and in clubs".

While the Ombudsman did receive an