Ireland: Supreme Court gives go ahead to child’s rights poll

(Vatican Radio) Ireland's government is asking voters to insert stronger rights for children into the constitution, a measure designed to make it easier for state agencies to protect children from abuse and for neglected children to be adopted.

But the campaign to secure a ``yes'' vote in Saturday's referendum has taken a last-minute surprise hit from the Irish Supreme Court. The five-judge court ruled that the government's information booklet urging a ``yes'' vote, mailed to every household in this country of 4.6 million, was not fully accurate and violated referendum laws. The government apologized but urged voters still to vote yes.

The Irish Bishops have given a cautious welcome to the referendum, encouraging Catholics to vote yes. “It is definitely a step in the right direction” says Bishop John McAreavey of Dromore Diocese in an interview with Emer McCarthy. “The Irish bishops believe that the constitution has an important role in signalling the priorities and fundamental values of our society. One of those priorities about which there is an enhanced sensitivity is the rights of the child”. Listen:

This sensitivity, he says, is a direct result of the fact that “children were abused in the past and their interests, in practise, were not given priority, the paramount importance they deserve. In fact the bishops, in their statement explicitly refer to a legacy of failure”.

The scandals of child abuse within the Church by members of the Church has been documented in four reports published over the past decade. Moreover in June this year, a government commissioned independent report into the deaths of children whilst in State care in Ireland, concluded that there were “deeply disturbing” inadequacies in child protection services in the country and recommended a root-and-branch reform of the child protection system.

All of Ireland’s political parties have given their support to a Yes vote for the referendum. However, while opinion polls indicate voter approval for the measure, some are opposed to it fearing it would strip parents of rights.

“Putting the rights of the child explicity into the Irish Constitution is a way of signalling the rights of the child so they are no longer implicit”, concludes Bishop McAreavey, “But this must go hand in hand with practical support for children and families under stress, particularly in this time of economic crisis. Legislation is one step, practical support is now needed”.