THE CHILDREN’S rights referendum is expected to be held early next year, Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald has said.

She told the Dáil her officials had begun discussions with the Attorney General to prepare a draft wording reflecting the work of the Oireachtas committee on the matter. “We will take our time and we will get it right, and I hope that early next year, when we bring our comprehensive amendment before the people, that we will have the support of all parties in this House.’’

She said the draft wording developed by the last government did not adequately reflect the good work done by the Oireachtas committee.

Ms Fitzgerald said a Fianna Fáil Private Members’ Bill, allowing for the adoption of children of marital relationships, had been published in isolation and did not achieve the Government’s objective of strengthening children’s constitutional rights. The Government would like to ensure that draft adoption proposals were published before any referendum.

Introducing the Bill in Private Members’ time, party spokesman on children Charlie McConalogue said there were major barriers to adoption of children born to married parents.

“This is due to the strong position awarded to the family in the Constitution, coupled with the fact that there is no constitutional provision for children to be adopted.

“The result is that thousands of children spend their entire childhood years in foster care without the right to be adopted into families ready, willing and anxious to provide them with the loving and supportive environment they deserve.’’

Mr McConalogue said in order for a child to be deemed adoptable under the Adoption Act 1988, the authorities must prove that both parents had effectively abandoned the child and were likely to fail in their duty until the child was 18 years old. That threshold was extremely difficult to reach.

Sinn Féin spokesman on children Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said his party supported the Bill’s intent. The discriminatory constitutional definition of the “family’’ had led to a situation where children of marital relationships could not be adopted, even where it was clearly in their best interests. It was a situation which had arisen out of an archaic set of laws regarding children and the family which were quite obviously unfit for modern Ireland.