THIS is Enda’s eggshell referendum. For the Taoiseach knows all too well that there are few political minefields more lethal to the longevity of a government than a constitutional referendum and anything to do with children or family.
And so there was never any doubt that the wording of the Children’s Referendum would be meticulously picked over by legal-eagles for loopholes or for any hint of hubris before being unveiled — there couldn’t be the slightest suggestion that this was a charter for social-worker shock-troops to be able to snatch howling infants from their anguished mothers.
Lord knows, there are enough citizens cheesed off with the Government already, what with health cuts and household charges, without enraging a whole new swathe of voters by portraying themselves as something akin to the Child Catcher from ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’.
Finally the wording was ready for release yesterday (though its moniker 42A sounds more like a bus than an amendment).
Enda, Eamon Gilmore and Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald all trooped into the press centre in Government Buildings before noon. The trio were at pains to emphasise the importance of the referendum.
“Childhood only happens once, and on November 10, we have an opportunity to decide that every childhood is precious, and that every child is deserving of our protection and care,” stressed the Tanaiste.
The Taoiseach was equally at pains to highlight that “the extensive time and energy put into making and enforcing these new laws reflects the priority the Government attaches to child protection,” he said.
But any interested parties present at the press conference who had been following the painstaking progress of a children’s referendum through both this government and the last one, may have been gripped by a sense of deja-vu.
For the wording is very similar to that proposed by the previous children’s minister, Fianna Fail’s Barry Andrews. Remarkably similar, in fact. There appear to be little more than a few words changed in total — the main difference seems to be that the word “may” is changed to “shall” four times.
And Four-Words Frances was eager to underline that this did not give the State the green light to snatch children with impunity. “In relation to a power-grab by the State, absolutely not,” she declared firmly. “It’s not about the State micro-managing parents, it’s not about the State wanting to interfere unduly.”
At it happens, the Taoiseach is going to be in Rome for a meeting with the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti this weekend — and he’s also going to be among a group of EU leaders who will meet Pope Benedict.
So would the thorny topic of clerical child abuse be raised, given that Enda had a right lash off the Vatican after the Cloyne Report was published last year?
“The audience with the Pope is not a private audience, it’s on Saturday morning in Castel Gandolfo,” he said, before seeking refuge in a sports-related quip. “I mightn’t even have time to ask him for divine intervention for Sunday,” joked the Mayoman.
No point in getting all controversial when there’s a referendum to win — Gloria in Eggshells, indeed.
A very slow news week David?
I wonder if it crosses his mind that in order to protect children you must first have children to protect and not in exile with their newly emigrated parents.
Michael.
Also to protect children our illustrious leader must make sure the the child’s parents are in the correct frame of mind to look after the welfare of the child and nurture them to responsible adulthood, the stresses and strains of total distraction and total dis-illusion at the financial castastropy which prevails in many thousands of homes inpacts greatly on the ability of parents to rear children and indeed to mantain a family unit, I know this first hand, and I am aware of financial issues which my children know about that they should not have to worry about! Remember Enda,… Read more »
With the birth rate and natural increase @ an all time high, how the **** is the economy going to generate work for 80,000 school leavers per annum ? Return to the 1950’s and net emigration of 400,000 in a single decade ? Forget about generating employment for those on the rock ‘n roll. You need a turbo charged American economy to generate the annual % increase in employment levels needed. Still the UK is generating half a million private sector postions per yr, unfortunately Pat has to contend with mass immigration from eastern europe.Sigh.
The Irish Society will be better served by a referendum to establish a maximum salary for the Public and Private Sector, that would be a maximum of lets say, five times the average industrial wage. Yesterday I told a friend of mine, that this coming referendum can be the best chance we have, of getting rid of this Government, some of whose politicians while campaigning for the election that put them in power, were saying that they were not going to introduce Property Tax. And now is likely that every cut they failed to do ,and will fail to implement,… Read more »
Everything this government does is a step backwards .
Unemployment and low take home pay under the present government and the past government have left such a scar on the very people this government where elected to protect, how on gods earth are they going to protect children who need proper support .
Proper support cost money , food cost money, time cost money .
When the cuts came who took most of the unfair pain and when the next round of cuts come the same will happen.
Can enda
Can enda explain to the mother who is in the shopping market why her food bill has to be so low and why she struggles to feed her kids and her children don’t get the proper intake of food they should get or when the laser card is rejected because of lack of funds.
But then enda does not know what’s its like to struggle nor does any of his fellow cohorts
The referendum is a major distraction and only of real interest to sections of the media, politicians, civilservants and lobby groups. Of course 100 % of the people agree with childrens rights but almost all realise these rights are best protected by parents in 98% of cases. As David wrote in another article they are best protected by their Dad who now has to spend most of his time away from them working over seas. This crowd in power only want to preach at the citizens about our behaviour. So focus on road deaths which kill 400 but ignore suicides… Read more »
I suppose people are more worried about feeding and clothing their children right now than reading through a referendum in detail. All I can say is that the Govt are lucky this is not an election or there would be hell to pay. The electorate are waiting in the long grass and the next budget will see the beginning of unrest. The present parties have not delivered on one election promise in 18 months.
Did you see Kathleen Lynch in the Dail yesterday, defending James Reilly (quite vociferously), in the no-confidence-motion. But only recently herself slated Reilly, cos he refused her request for funding. If she was not as vociferous in his defence, I wouldn’t have thought much of it, indeed poor Ruari Quinn sitting beside her, was writhing with embarrassment almost, listening to her tirade against the former Government, for their failure’s in the HSE. Point being, she as much supported in James Reilly, what she was blaming FF for. Her sentiment, suggests (that considering ‘nobody’ can touch any part of the HSE,… Read more »
Is it not time to change the democratic system of governance as we know it. Throw out that ‘representative style’ democracy, to a ‘direct’ system.
We are ultimately being Governed by “the EU” and seem’s since the crisis we are in – always will be…so why not cut out the ‘overpaid shit’ in between?
With the new “Interconnecter” from Eir Grid up and running today….from County Meath to somewhere in the UK, to supply 300,000 homes with electricity in Ireland. And being hailed as an example of “a benefit” of a more centralised Europe (“Superstate”)….I’m a bit cynical, cos if Kate Middleton’s melon’s show up in an Irish newspaper again, it wouldn’t surprise me, if the Anglo-Maniac’s, decide to pull the plug for punishment.
subscribe.
How come there were two articles today?
The country needs a new political party. it needs all of us to join and be active. We cannot just continue to give out about the current incumbents they have no desire, intention or skill set to change anything. they are spoofers and chancers. Enda Kenny as a leader of a country come on, an old grumpy man as minister of finance, Howlin couldn’t change a tyre, Gilmore makes Kenny look plausible by comparison. It won’t change with them in charge. Set up a new party I will join, I will run in Kildare. As to UK bankruptcy I have… Read more »
Hi David Let’s see now. Enda is the man who told the people of Roscommon in his election campaign that their hospital would not be touched. Gilmour has to look after his interests (including the half mill from the missus’ bit of land) while also striving to look concerned and caring for the most vulnerable. As for Frances, I’ve forgotten where her constituency is. Oh yes, the Irish Times (representing the Public Piety Party). The trio are fully representative of the Irish ruling class and its phoney ‘liberal’ ideology which yet manages to remain indignant, aggressive and patronizing. It is… Read more »
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