Constitution ‘denies children rights’

THE Constitution is denying the rights of over 2,000 foster care children to belong to a family, it was claimed yesterday.

Ombudsman for Children Emily Logan said this “cruel situation” is allowed to continue because the rights of the family in the 1937 document supersede those of children.

Speaking at yesterday’s hearings of the Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution, Ms Logan said: “The bottom line is that constitutionally, parents have inalienable rights which render the rights of children subordinate. It is time that Ireland as a society acknowledges that children too are independent and individual holders of rights.”