Focus Ireland, the charity that works with homeless people, has said an explicit commitment to vindicate the economic, social and cultural rights of all children should be included in any proposed wording of a referendum on the Rights of the Child.
The charity has made the call in its submission to the Oireachtas' Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The all-party committee's terms of reference are to examine the proposals to amend the Constitution and report back to the Houses of the Oireachtas by the end of March.
Focus Ireland maintains that rights, such as the right to shelter or nutrition, that are not vindicated in the referendum would leave the way open for these to be rights that could be denied to a child.
Orla Barry, Acting Chief Executive, Focus Ireland said: "The referendum provides a chance to explicitly enshrine some key rights of the child in our constitution to offer greater rights and protection for all our children. This is vital to help to protect the most vulnerable children in our society. "
She added: "Childhood is a short and precious time. The absence of the right to nutrition, shelter, health care and protection from neglect and abuse in childhood can have a very damaging impact on a person's entire life cycle and we have a duty to all in our power as a nation to avoid this from happening."
She said: "Ready provision - and access to - vital support and preventative services is key to protecting our children and tackling issues such as poverty, homelessness and poor health.
By further enshrining these rights in our constitution it would provide a stronger platform to defend these rights on behalf of marginalised children."