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Carl O'Brien

Carl O'Brien

Chief Reporter

Carl O'Brien is chief reporter for The Irish Times. He has won awards for coverage of topics including health, politics and social affairs. He was previously the newspaper's social affairs correspondent and political correspondent for the Irish Examiner.

Dara Hogan, manager of Fledglings Early Years, a social franchise in early education based in Tallaght, says: “Quality is about encouraging and supporting children to develop at their own pace, and taking the time to observe and support them.” Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons/The Irish Times
It’s quality versus quantity in battle for hearts and minds of preschool children

Government Ministers want to extend the free preschool year to two years, but is it too early given the variable quality of existi(...)

The State’s investment in preschool tuition is largely on the basis that high-quality early-years education can yield significant benefits for children later in life. Photograph: Frank Perry/AFP/Getty Images
Quality issues found in preschool tuition

Weaknesses found in range and quality of activities for children in most preschools inspected by Department of Education and Healt(...)

Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said he was not satisfied with the delays facing parents in getting assessments of their children by health authorities. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Schools to be obliged to accept special needs students under new proposals

Major changes planned to the way learning support teachers are allocated to schools

Photo issued by Cell Press showing how scientists have succeeded in obtaining stem cells from human embryos cloned from skin. Photograph: Eric Baker/OHSU/PA
Is Ireland is danger of being left behind due to lack of stem cell research laws?

No legislation or guidelines in place to support research using human embryos

The findings of the Health Information and Quality Authority’s report – the first into the HSE’s child protection services – make for disturbing reading
Report's findings are shocking - but familiar

Our poorly managed child protection system is placing vulnerable children at risk

Geoffrey Shannon, the Government’s special rapporteur on child protection, said the findings highlighted the need for strong laws to ensure abuse or neglect concerns are handled in a uniform manner. Photographer: Dara Mac Dónaill
HSE did not report cases of suspected child abuse or neglect

Hiqa report finds serious failings in child protection services in Carlow/Kilkenny

Lobby correspondence: one modest building can house hundreds of financial-vehicle corporations. Photograph: UpperCut Images/Getty
No desks. No staff. No tax. Ireland’s shadow banks

Ireland’s unregulated and barely visible ‘shadow banking’ industry is 10 times the size of our GNP. Is it a benefit or a threat to(...)

Children at risk due to HSE care failures, Hiqa report finds

Authority says gardaí were not always notified of suspected physical, sexual abuse or neglect of a child

Barnardo’s chief executive Fergus Finlay said: “We have anxieties over the way the first year of the scheme is being rolled out. It needs a curriculum, well- trained staff and proper management if it’s going to deliver better outcomes for children and families.”
No welfare cuts planned for funding free pre-school year, says Quinn

Extending scheme would benefit up to 65,000 children each year

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