No consensus yet on child rights referendum

CONSENSUS HAS not yet been reached on the possibility of a referendum on children’s rights and “we will have to see how we proceed”, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said in the Dáil.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny referred to recent comments by the DPP, whom he said spoke of “his inability to take prosecutions in the absence of a referendum on children”.

Mr Cowen said he had not studied the DPP’s statement but he understood that “he did not say he could not do his job but spoke instead about difficulties and the prosecutorial role”.

Mr Kenny expressed concern about the change in personnel on the committee looking at the referendum. The personnel changes “have brought about a serious change of attitude, and not for the good, towards the progress it was making previously”.

Mr Cowen agreed that “varying views on the matter are emerging within the committee and among its members, regardless of party affiliation. It is a matter for the committee to find a solution to which everyone can subscribe.”

That was because “a proposal which, on the face of it, might solve the initial problem could create other problems further down the line”.