D.Skelly Model Parliament Forum 2012: Party X, Y and Independents

11/16/2012

As explained and demonstrated in class you are required to post your position (12 lines max.) either in favour (Party X) or against (Party Y) the Thirty-First Amendment to the Constitution Childrens Bill 2012. The Independents can position themselves either way.
All students must have their position and reason(s) why posted no later than Wednesday November 21 2012 in preparation for our Model Parliament class debate on December 6 2012. Please ensure that you have your badges made and with you on that day. I am looking forward to reading what you all have to say, D. Skelly

17 Comments

Nicole Mulvey

11/18/2012 01:53:40 am

The reasons why i am in favour of this amendment is the following; Children will have their rights protected in the contitution as 1500 children in 2011 were abused in their family homes. I think this has to become a visual situation that the Government need to figure out and not leave these innocent children to be abused by there parents. Another reason is that Children will have the right to be heard. 65% of children are not asked their opinion in court decisions affecting them. Any individual should be heard in any type of situation, everyone is intitled to have a say. All children will have a chance to grow up in a loving and stable family as 2000 children living in long term state care are not currently allowed to be adopted. These 2000 children should not have a childhood in care they all deserve to be brought up in a family home around children there own age.

sinead okeeffe(party X)

11/21/2012 09:29:29 pm

the reasons why iam in favor of this amendment are following reasons:children in ireland need and must have a voice and should be heard.the children of ireland have to be protected because they are he future of are country .1500 children in 2011 were abused or neglected by there family.this should not be tolerated by any person in this constitution.but i do think for this bill to be passed we must look at the HSE and other services were children are suppost to be protected but are beeing put at risk

Eimear Corcoran (Party X)

11/19/2012 02:34:18 am

The reasons why I am in favour of this ammendment is that children living in poverty and as victims of abuse should not have to spend their lives worrying about what the next day will bring.
Poverty is defined by living on less than €1 a day. Children can live a happy life with love and care alone but this ammendment comes into question when a child's health is at risk due to lack of food, shelter or more importantly if they are victims of abuse or neglect. This ammendment will also allow children to be heard and set them up with a loving family who can provide them with their basic needs. This country needs to allow childrens voices to be heard and I feel this ammendment can make this happen.

Sophie Brennan

11/19/2012 03:43:14 am

The reasons why I am in favour of this amendment is that innocent children everyday are being abused by their own families. These children deserve to have a chance to grow up in a loving and stable family and environment. They should have the right to be heard and in some circumstances the state can replace the parents if they feel the child or children are victims of neglect/abuse. Families who are struggling in society need the support before the situations reach crisis point. I strongly feel that by voting yes the children in this society will have more opportunities and will have their say in the decisions that are made in the constitution for them and their future.

Kaylee Kavanagh (Party X)

11/19/2012 06:58:51 am

I am in favour of the Children's Referendum because of the following reasons. This amendment was placed to protect and vindicate the rights of the children. This ensures protection and safety for children and prevents anymore abusive cases. It also allows state intervention if parents fail in their duty, regardless of their marital status. This consitution also allows children to be put up for adoption if the parents have failed and adoption is suitable. Children should all have a chance to grow up in a loving,stable family. There has been 1,500 confirmed causes of child abuse in 2011. This means that no child will be left with abusive parents, regardless of their marital status. I would vote yes for this amendment to be passed for the best interests and views of the child.

Joanna Creighton

11/20/2012 01:17:36 am

I agree with the childrens referendum because it will benefit children.It will benefit by children having their rights protected in the constitution, all children will get the same protection from the state, all children will have the chance to grow up in a loving and stable family, when decisions are made they are made in the interests of the child and children will have the right to be heard when decisions are made about them. They will protect children hugely to have a better, safer childhood. The only disadvantage is mistaken cases. When they get information wrong,when they think a person is not fit enough to be a parent when they really are. Children also give false information sometimes. These changes could decrease the number of children in unhappy living conditions,as there was 1,500 confirmed cases of child abuse in 2011.

Sarah Fleming (Party Y)

11/20/2012 02:24:55 am

I believe that people should vote no. There are many reason why people should vote no. one reason is that there is not many advertisement made to the public to vote no than there is for yes. Another reason is why I would vote no because it gives the Government the right to take children into state care. I believe the public have a lack of knowledge about the referendum. If this referendum passes the state is just going to have more power over the live's of children. The question being asked is that "do you trust the Irish State, the UN and the EU to make decisions for your children when your parental rights have been eliminated?" If you are not 100% sure you must vote no.

saoirse coleman

11/21/2012 12:11:03 am

I agree and disagree with the childrens referendum. I agree that it will benefit children in poverty and children that are being abused physically and mentally I agree that every child deserves grow up in a stable home .I also fell like the campaign was very unfair as everywhere you turned there was a "YES" poster but there was no "NO" posters i felt like it didn't give people a choice that they had to vote yes and that the choice was already made for them. I disagree with the fact that the government have the power to take a child away from their parents if they think they are not fit enough to look after the child. But where were the government years ago when children were being raised in poverty they are the ones that are not fit to decide the path of life for the children of Ireland in my opinion.

Niclette Ndongosi

11/21/2012 12:39:19 am

Th reasons why i am in favour of this amendement is that children's all age are been sexual abuse everyday by they families.
I believe all childens have the right to be treated like humans and the they deserve a better life and the right to be heard by there parents. The reason i am voting yes is because i strongly believe that every children should have the right to have a future and i agree that the constitution should be changed.

Danielle Lynch (indepent)

11/21/2012 01:39:40 am

The reasons why I am in favour of this ammendment is because Ireland needs better child protection.

1500 cases of child abuse in the home were confirmed for 2011 by voting yes all children will get a chance to grow up in a loving and stable family.It also allows up to 2,000 children, currently in long-term State care, the opportunity to be adopted and given a second chance at a loving, stable and permanent family.

Also 65% of children are not asked their opinion in court decisions affecting them,This ammendment will give make sure the judge listens to the views of child when making decisions in child care, adoption, guardianship, custody and access cases.

It also sets out how we, as a country, now view and value children and help us move beyond the damning history of child abuse in Ireland.

Aoife Howe (Party Y)

11/21/2012 06:56:54 am

I strongly oppose the Children's Rights Referendum, for the following reason;
How do we correctly specify the ''Best Interests'' of a child? Each Parent has a right, under Article 42.5 of the Irish Constitution to decide "Best Interests" for their child. The change in question will completely change this, as this right will be handed over to the Government.
The ''Best Interests'' Principle is a United Nations principle, which forms the basis of how to measure the effectiveness of our Child Protection System. ''Best Interests'' has no basis in law, it cannot be measured and is not defined in any way. ''Best Interests'' of Children in the law does not entail the love and care for any child.

The State does not love any child.

Meghan Roe (Party Y)

11/21/2012 07:50:44 am

I oppose the Children's Rights Referendum solely because of my understanding of Article 42A.2.1 .Here i can only assume that by the state 'shifting the trigger' from focusing on the parents failure to the impact this failure has had on a child and therefore prejudicially allowing the state, although there are 'safeguards' to stop over intervention by the state, to intervene in cases where they are acting solely on what they can see without making any thorough investigations into the case.

chloe griffin (party X)

11/21/2012 10:13:37 am

as leader of party X i am in favour of the childrens referendem for the following reasons, children are the future and we need to protect the children and their rights under the constitution so it will legally states that children will be protected and they will have a voice to speak up about on going abuse and problems in the home. it gives us a chance to listen to a childs point of view and put them in a enviroment where they feel comfortable and safe. children deserve to grow up in a happy safe and stable home however this is not always the case, number of children living in a unhappy home is in the thousands. This referendem will help the children and give them support to seek help for these children to find a place to grow and live a happy life of safe and happiness.if this referendem is opposed children will have choices , choices to living a better life without the worry of unfit guardians holding them back in danger.

i strongly advise to vote yes for the safety , best interest and the rights of the children.

Danielle Murphy Reddy

11/21/2012 11:12:28 pm

I oppose the Children's Rights Referendum for the following reasons, it supposedly protects the "Best interests and views of the child" but it doesn't define this term? What are the "best interests and views of the child"? Also this amendment gives the the government the power to remove children from their homes, it takes the power away from the parents but where do the children's voices come into all this? This is supposed to give the power to the children to be heard but they're not really being given the chance to put forward their opinion? They're just removed from the environment because they may be being neglected in a way where their parents cannot afford to feed them properly etc. In my opinion the "yes interests and views of the child' includes their mental health and taking a child away from their family environment would not be good for them, families need support from the government to look after their children and children deserve the right to have their say, taking children is not the way forward.

Kelly Monahan(party x)

11/22/2012 01:51:58 am

I am in favor of the amendment, these are my reasons;
In 1937 The Irish Constitution was written,When Children were 'seen and not heard' A child should have the right to be Seen and Heard. Their say should be just as important as ours in this matter. Everyday children our being Neglected and Abused so I believe that the child should be lifted from the situation if needs be. Strengthening childrens rights would do just that. We would have a new view on every childs childhood. It is time that the constitution step up and pass this bill.

Kym Bray

11/22/2012 10:39:11 pm

I believe that the public should vote 'No' as no Goverment should have the power to take children into state care, especially if their parents/gaurdians are against this. I believe that only the child no matter how old should be able to decide their own faith, wether this is to be taken into the care of the state or to stay in his/hers family home. I agree that i child should grow up in a stable home and should have the right to a childhood, but who is to decide what that is? but only the child itself knows what he/she wants in life and more impotantly knows what a stable family home is not a goverment. The goverment cares for power and control not a child.

Nicole Kelly(Independents:)

12/5/2012 02:19:51 am

i am in favour of this amendment and the reasons for this is because Ireland need to do something about children's protection in this country.It will benefit children in the long run. It will help children have their rights procted by the the state and give every single child in Ireland the rights to grow up and live there life with a loving family who cares for them.It also gives children a chance to be heard and gives the state the right to remove a child/children if they are been neglected/abuse.I really strongly feel by myself voting yes that children in this country will have better opportunties and will be heard in the decisions that the cositution makes.

D.Skelly Model Parliament Forum 2012: Party X, Y and Independents

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