Anger as minister opts to use existing children’s bill

CIVIL rights groups have expressed anger at the Government’s decision to effectively sidestep any changes to the proposed bill for a referendum on children’s rights.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) said it was concerned that the Minister for Children Barry Andrews had decided that the best advice was to rely on the wording of the 2007 bill on children’s rights.

It seemed that the Government intended “to revert to the flawed constitutional wording on children’s rights” said a statement.

Speaking after a private meeting with the Minister for Children Barry Andrews, ICCL director Mark Kelly said: “It would appear that the minister’s political courage has failed him, and that the Government will attempt to revert to the deeply flawed and ineffective wording that it last presented to the Oireachtas in 2007.”

An Oireachtas committee heard this week from Mr Andrews that legal advice given suggested the best way forward was to stick to the 2007 bill.

That bill was strongly criticised by the Ombudsman for Children and other rights groups before. They warned that it did not go far enough. Children’s rights support groups were disappointed this week as they had prepared their own wording, which they felt would strengthen protection laws.

Mr Andrews told the committee that effectively any serious disagreement from its members could delay changes to children’s rights in law or the constitution by as much as five to 10 years.

The ICCL warned yesterday that any backtracking by Mr Andrews and the Government would face challenge from support groups.

“If the minister is not prepared to grant an effective voice to children, those who genuinely believe in children’s rights will not shirk their responsibilities” added Mr Kelly.