Sir, – Whatever rights may emerge from any amendments to the Constitution as a result of the upcoming referendums, people should not be under the illusion that the State will automatically vindicate such rights simply by virtue of the fact that they would be, in theory, protected by the Constitution.
For example, Article 44.2.4 of the Constitution refers to “the right of any child to attend a school receiving public money without attending religious instruction at that school”.
This clear constitutional right is systemically flouted every day across Ireland.
This state of affairs has proven decidedly, to use the mot du jour, “durable”.
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In fact, it has endured for decades. Successive governments have sat idly by while this constitutional right has been routinely breached in schools which the State funds. The current Government is no different, with little evidence for hope from the Opposition benches.
This situation has been allowed to continue, despite the fact that the Department of Education is well aware that schools are not meeting their constitutional obligations.
Please save us the platitudes about “cherishing” and “protecting”.
All too often a constitutional right is aspirational at best. – Yours, etc,
ROB SADLIER,
Human Rights Officer,
Education Equality,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.