Fergus Finlay: The Constitution must protect dignity as a right, not just an aspiration

Ireland demands loyalty from citizens but offers little in return — especially for children with special needs and the elderly

'If the crisis facing children and families with special needs ought to make us angry, the treatment of older frailer people in the care of our State needs to make us deeply ashamed.'

What are my fundamental obligations as a citizen of Ireland? The Constitution spells out two, in Article 9, and it uses the word fundamental to describe them. I must be faithful to the nation and loyal to the State. In addition, if I am a parent, I have some additional duties in relation to the welfare and education of my children.

None of that seems unreasonable to me. I’m proud of being Irish, never wanted to live anywhere else, always wanted to ensure that my children and their children had the same sense of pride as I have. But I’ve always wondered why the drafters of our Constitution never thought that the country might have the occasional duty to its citizens and all the people who live here.