Holding of children’s referendum despite court ruling unfair to voters

The Supreme Court said the Government acted unlawfully in presenting information and spending regarding the referendum, yet it went ahead anyway.

This is the reality of living in this wretched country. Our rulers tell us what they please and are not held to account. There should not have been a ballot at all until such time as the court judgment had been adequately debated.

But no, that is not how we do things in Ireland. The law only matters when it is used as a stick with which to beat the citizens.

On Sunday morning the commentators told us it was “the rural and working class voters” who voted ‘no’ because it was an anti-government reactionary kick in the goolies for Leinster House. It was not even discussed that it might be fear itself which has the poor and rural parents worried, that it is their children who could be taken from them ... and delivered to the ‘better’ middle class families by way of adoption. The term “council estates” is being bandied about with reference to ‘no’ voters.

The self-ordained champion of children, Fergus Finlay, wearing his Labour Party hat, will no doubt say the carrying of this vote will mean great steps forward for the children of Ireland. But he’s no more influential than the rest of us, yet he behaves as if he is in charge of all of our children.

The fact is, we are too hung up on populism and forced responsibility whereby married and single parents could be hung out to dry regarding guardianship of their own children. It will turn out that the “holier than the Pope” elements in Government, and in the various wealthy organisations purporting to monitor families, will, quite simply, have easier access to the private lives of citizens.

Robert Sullivan

Bantry

Co Cork