Making a mountain out of an amendment

The Referendum Commission faces another difficult challenge, writes Dr Conor O’Mahony

The constitutional amendment on children that will be put to a referendum on Nov 10 will, if passed, be the 31st change to the Irish Constitution. Of all 31, it will be the second-longest amendment (shorter only than that which followed the Good Friday Agreement), as well as one of the most complex. It proposes to insert an entirely new article into the text, consisting of four sections, with four further sub-sections. Moreover, it deals with sensitive issues concerning the relationship between children and parents, and between families and the State, and does so in technical and legalistic language.

In contrast, much of the campaign to date has been characterised by clichés and bland slogans, with the yes campaign telling us that the amendment will “make children visible” or “protect children”, with only occasional detailed explanation as to how or why.