Ireland is in no position to celebrate today's 21st anniversary of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, given its continued failure to protect children, according to the Irish Society for the Protection of Children.
In a strongly worded statement, the charity reiterates its call for a date to be set for a children's rights referendum.
The statement sets out failure after failure through the years, by the Irish State, to act on recommendations or to live up to commitements to protect children.
"Saturday November 20th marks the 21st anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - a human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children.
"21 years later, Ireland is not in a position to celebrate this historic occasion, as clearly children's voices are still not being heard."
It then sets out 21 reasons "why things must change".
"In November 1989 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
"Ireland ratified the UNCRC in 1992 but today has yet to amend the Constitution to give express recognition to children's rights."
Reasons two to six recall the 1993 Kilkenny Incest Inquiry, the 1993 charging of George Gibney with the rape of seven boys and girls, the 1996 Madonna House Inquiry, the 1996 Kelly Fitzgerald case and the 1998 McColgan case.
"One recommendation of the Kilkenny Incest report said consideration [should] be given by the Government to the amendment of articles 41 and 42 of the Constitution so as to include a statement of the constitutional rights of children," says the statement.
"Today, despite numerous recommendations to the same effect there has been no change to the constitution in this regard."
Constitutional change was also recommended after the Kelly Fitzgerald case. The other cases demonstrated "an obvious lack of consideration for child welfare and lack of recognition of children's rights in Ireland."
In 1999, the Children's First Guidelines were published. These emphasised that the needs of children and families must be at the centre of childcare "and yet 11 years later we are still waiting for these to be placed on a statutory footing".
The establishment of the Garda Central Vetting Unit in 2002 was welcomed by the ISPCC which campaigned for legislation to expand its remit to include all individuals working with children. It has not been introduced.
Legislative changes recommended by the Ferns Inquiry in 2005 have not been made.
Further failings are listed.
"In February 2010 the Joint Committee made final recommendations on a proposed new wording only to be scrapped by Government eight months later. There is still no plan for a new wording or commitment to hold a referendum.
"The need for such a referendum to address the issue of children's rights and child protection has been the subject of ongoing debate and discussion within the childcare sector for a number of years.
"To mark this 21st anniversary let us finally stand up for Irish children. Let 2011 be the year that children's voices are finally heard."
