FG: Children at risk over Government U-turn

VULNERABLE children could be put in danger because the Government is backtracking on a constitutional amendment ensuring their rights, Fine Gael warned last night.

Minister of State for Children Barry Andrews sparked widespread criticism when he claimed a national vote may not be needed to protect youngsters.

Fine Gael children’s spokesman Alan Shatter insisted it would leave children threatened by abuse without full legal protection.

“The Government has clearly abandoned its commitment to hold a constitutional referendum to protect children by reinstating the offence of statutory rape.

“Minister Andrews has now scrapped the Government’s original commitment to create a zone of absolute protection for children and the re-enactment of a law of absolute liability, which requires adults to ensure that they do not have sexual intercourse with underage partners,” Mr Shatter said.

“It also seems that the Government is abandoning its commitment to hold a broader constitutional referendum to give explicit expression to children’s rights, to securing the best interests of children, and to facilitate the adoption of children in long-term care,” he said.

Fergus Finlay, chief executive of Barnardos, reacted with “dismay” to Mr Andrews’ comments.

“If we are serious both about protecting children and upholding their rights, a constitutional referendum is urgently needed,” he said.

“We need to learn from the mistakes of the past and create a new culture where children can be assured of full protection under the law; where they will not end up as witnesses in cases where the defence of ‘honest mistake’ is argued; and where the courts have the support of the constitution in making decisions that respect a child’s rights and promote their wellbeing.”

Youth Work Ireland demanded a detailed explanation for the Government’s U-turn on the referendum.

“There is a concerted attempt by the Government to get out of its commitment to a referendum on children’s rights since the Lisbon vote,” said Michael McLoughlin, director of central services at Youth Work Ireland. “Even though a second committee has been appointed to examine this, the Government is strongly suggesting that it will ignore its findings.

“The Supreme Court itself struck down the previous system of strict liability and it seems crystal clear that only a change in the constitution can deal with this issue,” said Mr McLoughlin.