Andrews support for rights plebiscite

Minister of State for Children Barry Andrews said he wanted to see a referendum on children’s rights but he could not anticipate the advice Government would receive on a report launched today.

The joint committee on the constitutional amendment on children published the proposed wording for a referendum which could result in a rewrite of article 42 of the Constitution.

“We would consider this one of the most important referendums to take place ever,” Mr Andrews said.

The chairwoman of the committee, Fianna Fail’s Mary O’Rourke, said the proposed wording had cross-party support, and she hoped that would help “sell it” to the Government.

Committee member Alan Shatter of Fine Gael said he hoped Government could make a rapid decision to accept the wording as proposed.

He said it would take “some weeks” to communicate the implications of the wording to citizens.

“I do think that we need a defined timescale…I really do want to urge that the Government take on board this wording very quickly and that they set a date preferably in June for a referendum but certainly no later than next October,” Mr Shatter said.

Labour’s Brendan Howlin, also on the committee, said the proposed wording should be put to the people as a matter of urgency.

“There’s a clamour to make the changes we are recommending,” Mr Howlin said.

The committee’s proposals would allow for the placement for adoption of the children of married parents and would require that a child’s voice is heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child.

It would recognise the rights of children as individuals and would begin with a declaration: “The State shall cherish all the children of the State equally.”