Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

With regard to the announcement by the Chief Whip of the focused legislative work programme for publication and enactment, what is the position of the legislation to facilitate the forthcoming constitutional amendment on children's rights? The Minister of State with responsibility for children indicated on a number of public occasions during the recess that it was his hope and that of the Government - indeed, the objective of the Government - that the referendum would take place in conjunction with the general election. The omission of the facilitating legislation from the work programme is disappointing. Is it the intention of the Government to proceed with the referendum to amend the Constitution to enshrine a greater corpus of children's rights?

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