Falling short of expectations

The 2012 Children Amendment, From Drafting to Referendum

Bibliographic Data

ID6074294
AuthorsConor O’mahony (0000-0002-5145-4200, University College Cork, corresponding author), Conor O''Mahony, Conor O'Mahony
Year2016
Volume31
Issue2
Pages252-281
Publication date2016-04-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueIrish Political Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0790-7184 • E-ISSN: 1743-9078
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/07907184.2015.1130697
OpenAlexW2230767848
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited18

In November 2012, the Irish electorate approved a new provision in the Constitution dedicated to children’s rights. The popular portrayal of the referendum campaign was that it was largely uncontroversial, albeit with a sting in the tail. However, this over-simplifies the reality of a political struggle that was vigorously contested for almost a decade before the actual referendum campaign. While the idea of a children’s rights amendment was never far from the political agenda during this period, the political appetite for ambitious reform ebbed and flowed. The campaign itself was successful in passing the amendment, but the outcome was nonetheless seen as a disappointing one. This paper will explore two questions regarding the genesis and evolution of the children amendment, from initial public consultations through to the referendum campaign. First, what were the political forces that sought to influence the wording of the amendment, and which side had more reason to be pleased with the final product? Second, what were the factors that caused the referendum campaign to play out in such an unsatisfactory way for the Government

Amendment · Constitution · Constitutional amendment · Irish · Political science · Politics · Referendum · Substantive due process · Children's Rights and Participation · Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare · Irish and British Studies · Law

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