Catholic Church supports yes vote in upcoming Children Referendum

The Catholic Church has expressed its support for the children’s rights referendum amendment in a carefully qualified bishops’ statement which acknowledges its own failures to protect children.

“Given that children are among the most vulnerable members of the human family, and in need of the greatest protection, explicitly recognising the dignity and rights of children in our Constitution is an important and principled proposition that deserves serious consideration,” the statement said.

“The legacy of failure by individuals, organisations, the Church, and the State to adequately protect children in Ireland strengthens the case for signalling our commitment to the dignity and welfare of all children at a Constitutional level.”

The bishops said that, read in conjunction with the unaltered constitutional provisions on the family and education, the wording of the proposed amendment reflected “a reasonable and balanced approach”.

“Critically, the current constitutional presumption that the welfare and rights of a child are best exercised and safeguarded within the family in all but exceptional circumstances is preserved.

“In such an exceptional event, it is clear that parents will have the same constitutional rights, and the same right to defend proceedings and challenge evidence presented by the State, as they have at present.

“As an exercise of co-responsibility for the common good, we strongly encourage all those with the right to vote in the forthcoming referendum to do so after carefully weighing up all the important values and issues involved.”

Meanwhile, Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald accused a Catholic newspaper of being “extreme and not correct” in arguing for a no vote.

The latest edition of Alive carries the headline: “Politicians and social workers to be given the role of parents?” It goes on to describe the “anti-parents referendum” as a reckless assault on family life in Ireland and if passed “will lay the groundwork for a massive transfer of authority over young people from parents to the State”.

A supporting piece on the front page refers to BBC soap opera Eastenders and single mother Lola, whose baby has been taken into care. It says the Lola storyline is a stark warning about dangers of giving too much power to the State.

“The kind of headlines I saw in Alive are very extreme and not correct. They are misrepresenting what the amendment is about,” said Ms Fitzgerald.

“Family rights are central to the Constitution and not a word in relation to those rights has been changed.”

Ms Fitzgerald was speaking at the launch of a project that will allow the reporting of child care cases in the district court for the first time.

The five-year, independent research and reporting project will be run by former Irish Times legal editor Carol Coulter.

Dr Coulter said the project’s aim is to gauge the effectiveness of the current systems and policies in the area of child protection and court administration.