Press Release: Justice 14 November 2006

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14 November 2006

‘Baby Ann’ Ruling must inform referendum wording– Cuffe

The Green Party has called for the Supreme Court ruling in the ‘Baby Ann’ case to inform the wording of the amendment to the Constitution to provide for children’s rights.   

Green Party Justice spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD stated: “The Green Party has been calling for a referendum to enshrine the rights of the child in the Constitution for some time now. This most difficult and upsetting case has given further confirmation of the need to ensure that our children’s best interests are always of paramount consideration.   

“Justice Catherine McGuinness said it best when she pointed out in her judgement that the most striking feature of the case was that the child, whose rights and interests should have been at the very heart of this case, was not separately represented by a solicitor, a barrister or a guardian. This case places the inadequacies of our Constitution with respect to children’s rights in stark relief.  The Constitution protects the rights of a married couple before those of the child.   

“This judgement has made a clear and indisputable case for amending the Constitution to provide for the rights of the child.”