Government reveals wording for children's referendum

The Government has revealed the wording of the children's referendum.

The Taoiseach said it would protect the rights of the child, while not undermining the role of parents or the constitutional safeguards of the family.

It remains to be decided if the referendum will be held before the general election or in the autumn.

Bertie Ahern said it referendum would remove the defence of "honest belief" about the age of a minor:

"It is simply not acceptable for a person to take sexual advantage of young children and to later claim that they believed the child was older," he said, "to subject the child to a harmful cross examination from lawyers in a court about how the child was dressed or may have acted.

"This provision will allow us to take away the so called 'honest belief' defence in such cases and to provide a clear and unbendable rule that those who sexually abuse children will be punished."