Unravelling the puzzle of motives behind children’s referendum

I would like to thank Sarah Opperman (Irish Examiner, Nov 6) for — perhaps unwittingly — providing one explanation of the motives behind the upcoming children’s referendum.

I had been for some time trying to puzzle out the need for this referendum, as the Irish Constitution seemed already to provide rather good protection, and the State to have all the legal apparatus required to rescue children from situations where they were in real danger.

The fact that it has failed to do so on occasion in the past seemed more a question of resources than law. But now it has been laid clear for me, where Ms Opperman writes “[the State] fails to vindicate the rights of marital children, with the Adoption Act making it hugely difficult for children of married parents to be adopted”. So a ‘yes’ vote will help weaken the institution of marriage in yet another key area, an institution on which society is ultimately based. The State will have wide powers to enforce the adoption of children even from married parents.