Statement of the Ombudsman for Children on the endorsement of the Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution by the People

“As Ombudsman for Children, I have been calling for an amendment to the Constitution to give greater protection to the rights of the child since my Office was established.

In each of my submissions to the Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas on this issue the central message has been the same: Ireland should enshrine key children’s rights principles in the Constitution in order to underpin a fundamental shift in our law, policy and practice regarding children.

I welcomed the publication of the Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012 as a positive and significant step forward for children’s rights in Ireland. I welcome the fact that this proposal has now been endorsed by the People.

Constitutional change is not a panacea. Building a new culture of respect for children in Ireland will take time and effort. While amending the Constitution alone cannot achieve that goal, it can certainly alter the legal and policy landscape such that the cultural change we need can take place.

This is a new beginning and not the conclusion of advancing children’s rights in Ireland; compliance with our international children’s rights obligations remains an unfinished project. I hope that the acceptance of this amendment to the Constitution will spur greater efforts to address the areas where Ireland is still not living up to its promise to children and young people and to ensure that their rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.

I look forward to carrying out my statutory functions in a changed environment more conducive to the advancement of children’s rights, with a view to addressing the obstacles that will remain to the realisation of those rights.

• 12 Samhna 2012
• Cineál: Ráiteas
• Ábhar: Dlí Teaghlaigh