The Government will tell the UN today that it is considering holding a referendum to provide for an explicit vindication of children's rights in the Constitution.
Minister for Children Brian Lenihan, who is leading a Government delegation to a special committee hearing on children's rights in Geneva, is expected to say he has embarked on an "article by article" examination of all provisions of the Constitution that relate to children.
Children's rights campaigners and the UN have been backing a campaign for constitutional change which, they say, would allow for better child protection intervention and legislative reform.
Mr Lenihan, however, will caution that the Government plans to tread carefully in the area and will not rush into making any changes.
"Time and again, the Irish people have demonstrated their attachment to our Constitution by rejecting attempts to change it. If a referendum were required, we would have to be careful to ensure the best interests of children prevail in matters which affect them while at the same time achieving the support of the public," the Minister will say.
The Government, meanwhile, is expected to face robust questions and some criticism from the UN committee which is examining the State's record in protecting children's rights.
The UN's Committee on the Rights of the Child will raise concerns across a range of areas including the adequacy of child protection measures, the Government's treatment of separated children seeking asylum and the need for more robust Constitutional rights for children.
Other issues of concern relate to long waiting lists for children with mental health problems, the level of investment in childcare and access to education for Traveller children.
The meeting is a review of the Government's progress in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which the State signed up to almost 15 years ago.
Mr Lenihan is expected to mount a strong defence of its record by pointing to record levels of investment in child benefit and administrative changes which have resulted in children having a stronger voice at the Cabinet table.
The Government will be observed in Geneva by a number of non-governmental organisations including the Children's Rights Alliance, a coalition of 80 lobby groups.
Speaking in advance of today's meeting, the Alliance's chief executive Jillian van Turnhout said the Government had made progress since 1998, but there were many areas of serious concern. "Ireland still has a long way to go to meet the full principles and provisions of the Convention," she said.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - signed by Ireland in the early 1990s - is the mostly widely accepted human rights treaty in the world. Some 192 countries have ratified or accepted it.
Areas of concern: UN questions for for Government
Poverty: Why are an estimated one in 10 children experiencing consistent poverty, despite Ireland's economic success?
Detention: Why are children being detained in adult jails in breach of human rights law, and what is being done to address reports of abuse or mistreatment of children in custody?
Corporal punishment: Why is there still no ban on corporal punishment in the home?
Child welfare: Why has the Children's Act (1991), which places an emphasis on welfare and alternatives to detention, not been fully implemented?
Preventative measures: Why has there not been more investment in family support and programmes to prevent child abuse and exploitation?