Silence regarding children’s legal rights needs addressing

As a student of child law, I have been struck by the silence regarding children’s legal rights in Ireland.

I welcome the change a yes vote would bring to the lives of children in Ireland because of the cases and reports which outline that as a nation we have failed to protect the most vulnerable citizens in our society.

One specific consequence of a yes vote would be a change to the inequalities present in adoption legislation.

As it stands, adoption in Ireland is peculiar in that it fails to vindicate rights of marital children, with the Adoption Act making it hugely difficult for children of married parents to be adopted.

The marital status of parents should not be the threshold by which an adoption of a child occurs. Whether such an adoption is in the best interests must be the only concern.

Currently, the continuing focus of the marital family means an adopted child or potential adoptee is a child of fortune in terms of their future and many will unfortunately remain fostered for the rest of their childhood.

The referendum will allow for equality in the adoption system and I would urge the youth of Ireland to come out in force and vote for a strengthening of children’s rights in Ireland.

Sarah Oppermann

Glanmire

Co Cork