Govt’s failure to ensure balance in referendum must not distract from core reasons for YES vote

Published on: 08 November 2012


Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Children Robert Troy TD has said: “This morning’s ruling of the Supreme Court that the Government has failed to ensure fairness and impartiality in their referendum material is very frustrating and disappointing but we cannot allow this to distract from the core issues of this referendum or the core reasons for a YES vote.

“It is particularly frustrating given that the Government was criticised for a similar failure in the context of the Fiscal Stability Treaty when it improperly posted material advocating a yes vote on the official website.

“There will be time to address all of these issues in due course. However, this referendum is not about Government competence or arrogance. This referendum is about ensuring that explicit rights for children are appropriately enshrined in the Constitution. That is the issue being put before the people on Saturday and I am urging voters to look beyond this matter to the core issue at hand.”

Deputy Troy concluded: “Fianna Fáil is continuing to press the case for a strong YES vote on Saturday. This evening I will co-host, with my colleague Deputy Penrose, the Chairman of the Adoption Authority of Ireland Dr. Geoffrey Shannon at a public information meeting in Mullingar. We are backing this important constitutional amendment as we see it as the next logical step in a journey of improving child protection that has made significant advances over the last decade. The wording people are being asked to support is well balanced and marks an important contribution to advancing children’s rights in Ireland and I urge the public to support it.”

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