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Have Your Say in our Poll Do you believe in changing the Irish Constitution to finally stand up for children's rights? Vote here

Barnardos believes that a referendum on children's rights is necessary to ensure that children's rights and best interests are placed at the heart of all legislation, policy and practice that affects their lives. In the wake of the Ryan and Murphy reports, it has never been so important that we commit as a country to making children's rights a reality. We believe that the time is ripe to right the wrongs of the past by cementing children's rights at the highest level of law in Ireland. It is time to recognise the very special nature of childhood and give all children in Ireland the support and protection they deserve.

2010 must be the year that Ireland categorically stands up for children rights.

Press Releases/Statements

"2010 Must Be the Year Ireland Stands Up for Children's Rights" - Children's Organisations Respond to Constitution Report, February 2010 

Joint Press Release on Wording of Constitutional Amendment, December 2009

Open letter to papers calling for referendum, January 2009

Barnardos Broadly Welcomes Committee Report, May 2009

Reports

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children Final Report, February 2010 (pdf)

Case for Constitutional Change, Spring 2007 (pdf) 

Speech by Fergus Finlay to the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, March 2008

Barnardos Frequently Asked Questions Guide on Children's Rights (pdf)

Submissions

Submission to the Joint Oirechtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, September 2009

Barnardos submission to the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, February 2008

Joint Submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, September 2009 

The Story So Far

• February 2010 - Barnardos, CARI, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, ISPCC, One In Four and the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland prepare for the publication of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children's final report.

• September 2009 - Barnardos joined with six other organisations and made a submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children ahead of the publication of the Committee's final report in October 2009. The coalition of seven organisations also presented to the Committee in September 2009.

• May 2009 - Publication of the second interim report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on the Child focusing on legislative reform for protection of children against sexual abuse.

• September 2008 - The joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on the Child have been granted a further six month extension and a full report is not expected till Autumn 2009.

• February/March 2008 - We put forward our case for inserting children's rights in the Constitution to this parlimentary committee (see our submission below). To find out more about children's rights and the Constitution , you can read our submission which covers the committee's 'orders of reference' - these areas include: childen's rights, adoption, child protection, strict liability and soft information.

• 2007 - Government commitment in Programme for Government to hold a referendum on children's rights. The joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on the Child was set up to review the draft wording that was presented in February 2007. Barnardos launched the Case for Constitutional Change report.

• 2006 - Barnardos conducted a poll and found that three out of four voters would support putting children's rights in the Irish Constitution and hosted landmark legal conference on children's rights addressed by the Secretary of the UN Committee in the Rights of the Children Mr Jaap Doek and Special Papporteur on Child Protection, Geoffrey Shannon 

If you have a question that is not covered here or general comment on children's rights and the Constitution then contact us via email at advocacy@barnardos.ie

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