Increased powers for State if Referendum passed


19.09.12

The state will have increased powers to take the place of parents if the Children's Referendum is passed in November.

 

Today the long awaited wording of the proposal was finally revealed.

 

* Voters will be asked to approve the replacement of a number of articles with a single new one - entitled 42A - in the constitution.

* It would recognise what it calls the "natural and im-prescriptible" rights of children.

* It would allow the state to intervene in what it calls "exceptional cases".

* It would allow for adoption when parents are deemed to have failed.

* And it recommends that the best interests of the child should be paramount in judicial and custody proceedings.

 

This morning the Government will announce the wording of the proposed amendment to the Constitution after first discussing it with Opposition parties.

 

Some Interest groups have said they'll hold back on giving their reaction until they see that wording.

 

Draft legislation to change the adoption laws was also announced.

 

There will be a Government information campaign as well as that carried out by the Referendum Commission.

 

The vote will be held on Saturday November 10th - becoming only the second referendum to be held on a Saturday since the Nice Treaty, back in October 2002.