Legal challenge brought against result of Children's Rights Referendum

A legal challenge aimed at overturning the result of the Children's Rights Referendum has been brought before the High Court today.

The application is by Joanna Jordan from Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, who campaigned for a No vote in the referendum.

The second petitioner is Nancy Kennelly, a resident of Abbot Close Nursing Home, Askeaton, Co Limerick, who voted Yes by post before the Supreme Court ruled some information distributed by the Government during the referendum campaign was not impartial.

Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill today directed that the State be placed on notice of the application by the women for leave to bring a petition challenging the November 10 referendum result and he returned the matter to next Tuesday.

The women claim the Government's use of public money to fund an unbalanced information campaign on the proposed amendment to the Constitution amounted to wrongful conduct that materially affected the outcome of the referendum.