News
Nov 21, 2011
Deputy Brendan Smith will Protect Children’s Rights in Cavan-Monaghan
Deputy Brendan Smith has pledged his support this week to the Children’s Rights Alliance and its call to strengthen children’s rights in the Constitution. With cross party support for the holding of a referendum, Deputy Smith has offered his own individual support to protect children’s rights in Cavan-Monaghan so that each child is cherished equally. This invaluable support comes in the week that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child celebrates its 22nd anniversary.
Deputy Brendan Smith
representing Cavan-Monaghan says: “Each and every childhood counts and I’m delighted to pledge my support to the Alliance and to their work to secure a referendum to strengthen children’s rights in the Constitution. We need our Constitution to be the best it can be – to reflect our views on childhood today, rather than in the time that it was written, in 1937, when children were to be seen and not heard. We need a Constitution that will protect our children and guide the courts to make decisions that keep families together and that are in the child’s best interests. I know the people of Cavan-Monaghan would welcome the opportunity to say ‘yes, we value childhood’ and ‘yes, Ireland values all children and their rights’.”
Senator Jillian van Turnhout
