Labour to discuss Children's Rights referendum

The proposed Children's Rights referendum will take centre stage at the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting in Kildare today.

The Fine Gael Children's Minister Frances Fitzgerald is to visit the gathering to explain to TDs and Senators the work done on the referendum.

She is expected to bring a proposal on the wording for the referendum before a Cabinet meeting this evening.

"We're on track for the referendum to be held shortly," she said.

"We're finalising the wording and the adoption legislation so the Cabinet will take that decision in due course."

Some, including a former Supreme Court Judge have questioned the need for the referendum.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin, who worked on the issue in Opposition, said that it is needed.

"Every single child protection report, all the shocking reports we've had over the last decade, have all concluded that we need to be specific and clear about children's rights and it needs to be in the constitution," he said.

Today, Labour will also look at education reform, the rollout of the National Broadband Scheme and their tactics for the new Dáil session.