Children’s rights - Timing of referendum is crucial

COMPOUNDING growing uncertainty as to the timing of the proposed referendum on children’s rights, Minister Brian Lenihan, who has responsibility for steering this issue through the political minefield, yesterday balked at giving any guarantee it would be held before next year’s general election.

Further deepening the current climate of confusion, the minister also has indicated that questions concerning the rights of children and constitutional issues arising out of the statutory rape case may be lumped together.

Arguably, it would dangerous for the Government to treat these matters as if they were intertwined. While it may be convenient to tie them together, the referendum could be defeated if one or other proposition fell. By any yardstick, that would be a major setback.