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Constitutional referendum on children's rights

The Ombudsman for Children has been calling for an amendment to the Constitution to include children's rights since 2005. Constitutional change aimed at enhancing the protection of children’s rights was first raised in 1993 by The Kilkenny Incest Investigation Committee. A major milestone was reached in November 2006 when then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, announced the Government's intention to hold a referendum on children's rights. Since then a lot of work has gone into developing a proposed wording.

The Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children made it's recommendations public on 16 February 2010. The Ombudsman for Children's response can be read here.

Publications on the Constitutional referendum on children's rights
Click here to read our Submission to the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children - February 2008

Click here to read our Report to the Oireachtas on the Twenty-Eight Amendment to the Constitutional Bill - March 2007

Click here to read our Advice on the Proposed Referendum on Children's Rights - December 2006

Click here to read our Submission to the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution - January 2005

Read Emily's contribution to Amnesty's In Plain Sight Report published in September 2011

Previous statements on the Constitutional referendum on children's rights

Read Statement on proposed Constitutional referendum on children's rights - February 2008

Read State needs to support families in upcoming children's rights referendum - January 2007

Read Statement in relation to the proposed Constitutional referendum on children's rights - November 2006

Read Constitution Commitee's recommendations a retrograde step - January 2006

Read Constitutional change needed to protect children's rights - April 2005

Read Position of children in constitution is cause for concern - January 2005