Press Release from
The Iona Institute

Children’s rights
referendum must not give the State excessive power of
intervention

June 21,
2012 –
RESPONDING TO Tanaiste Eamon
Gilmore’s announcement today that the referendum on children’s rights is to take place in the autumn, The Iona
Institute said the proposed amendment “must not give the State excessive power
of intervention”.

Iona Institute director,
David Quinn, said: “The Iona Institute has no objection to a children’s rights
referendum as such. However, any amendment
should not lower the threshold of intervention so much that the State is given
too much power to intervene in family life. This is the case in countries such
as Canada.”

He continued: “The failings
revealed in yesterday’s report on child death can best be solved by proper
resourcing of our child protection service and by proper accountability when
there is a serious child protection failing.

“Britain does not have a
written Constitution and no definition of the family but this does not prevent
very serious child protection failings happening there.”

He concluded: “It is crucial
that we get the constitutional balance right. If the threshold of intervention
is arguably too high at present, we must not make it too
low”.