Press Release, for immediate release
25 January 2011
Ireland’s leading rights watchdog has dismissed as “flagrant electioneering” suggestions that Fianna Fáil wording for a children’s rights referendum might be published after the Dáil has been dissolved.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) was reacting to remarks attributed to the outgoing Minister of State for Children, Barry Andrews TD in the Irish Times today.
ICCL Director Mr Mark Kelly said:
“A full year after an Oireachtas Joint Committee reached an all-party consensus on wording for a constitutional referendum on the rights of children, the outgoing Minister of State has been privately circulating Fianna Fáil wording that largely reverts to the flawed proposals produced by his predecessor in 2007.”
“To suggest that, after the Dáil has been dissolved, this wording might be published in the form of a “bill” that stands no chance of enactment, let alone being put to the people, is flagrant electioneering. Publication of Fianna Fáil wording that enjoys neither political consensus nor support from children’s advocates would be an act of political opportunism” Mr Kelly added.
ENDS
The ICCL will not be commenting further on this issue at this time.
Walter Jayawardene
Communications Manager
Irish Council for Civil Liberties
9-13 Blackhall Place
Dublin 7
Ireland
Tel. + 353 1 799 4504
Mob: +353 87 9981574
E-mail: info@iccl.ie
NOTE TO EDITOR:
Today’s Irish Times article, headlined ‘No referendum on children’s rights on election day’, can be found at http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0125/1224288250404.html
The wording put forward by Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children in February 2010 and welcomed by Children’s rights advocates, is included in the Committee’s Third report at p 108, available at:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/committees30thdail/j-conamendchildren/reports_2008/20100218.pdf