Rabbitte accuses Taoiseach of using children’s rights for political kudos

THE Taoiseach was last night accused of moving to bolster children’s rights within the constitution simply to oil its electoral machine.

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte told delegates at SIPTU’s regional congress in Waterford that the announcement by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on a child protection referendum should have included the text being proposed.

He said the Government was using the referendum to gain consensus on a popular issue as a public relations exercise before the General Election.