Lenihan resists calls for constitutional reform

MINISTER for Children Brian Lenihan has resisted calls for urgent constitutional reform to protect the rights of the child following yesterday’s landmark ruling by the Supreme Court in the case of Baby Ann.

Various childcare organisations and opposition political parties urged the Government to consider staging a referendum to provide specific recognition of the rights of the child in light of existing deficiencies in constitutional protections afforded to children which were highlighted by the controversial case.

However, Mr Lenihan said it was still too early to say if constitutional change was necessary after the Supreme Court decided that the two-year-old girl should be returned to the care of her natural parents.