Children's Referendum 'a very high-level agenda item', insists Minister

Children's Minister Frances Fitzgerald has insisted that the Children's Rights Referendum will be held this Autumn as promised.

Frances Fitzgerald's comments come after Fianna Fáil expressed concern that the wording of the constitutional amendment has not yet been published, and that a rushed referendum may lead to the public being badly informed.

However, Minister Fitzgerald said that there will be plenty of time for debates and discussions to take place and she's adamant a date for this referendum will be revealed in the coming weeks.

"I would expect that this would be a very high-level agenda item for Cabinet once we return," she said.

"Obviously the Cabinet will decide precisely on timing and dates and I don't want to be drawn into a precise date, but we are on target in relation to finalising wording and having a referendum in the autumn, as we said we would be all along."