Constitutional strengths and flaws discussed

German organisations use laws very similar to those in the Irish Constitution to seek to protect women’s rights to child benefit and other matters, a High Court judge has said.

Gerard Hogan made the comments just days before the Government is expected to cut child benefit in Wednesday’s budget, although he drew no link between the two.

Mr Hogan was speaking about the origins of the Constitution at the inaugural meeting of the Constitutional Convention in Dublin Castle on Saturday.