The Government has published the 31st Amendment of the Constitution Bill, which sets out the wording to put to the people in the Children’s Referendum on Saturday, 10th November.
Ahead of the Referendum, the Government is mounting a major Information Campaign to outline and explain the proposed constitutional changes, to ensure that the public fully understands the proposed Amendment.
A dedicated new website www.childrensreferendum.ie provides information on the referendum. If you work for an organisation, we ask you to promote this website by posting the link and the attached image on your organisation’s website.
This Referendum proposes to place a dedicated Article in the Constitution, which has children as its central focus.
This Referendum is about strengthening the Constitution:
- to protect children from abuse and neglect by putting their safety and welfare at the centre of decision making.
- to support families; State intervention will be required to be proportionate, in line with the Government’s policy of continuing development of early-intervention and family support services to protect children in their home.
- to treat all children equally on key issues such as adoption, regardless of the marital status of their parents.
- to recognise children in their own right by providing an express statement of each individual child’s inherent rights and giving Constitutional recognition to the best interests and views of the child, in court cases affecting their life.
Your co-operation in promoting www.childrensreferendum.ie and the logo is much appreciated. You can also follow us on Twitter at @childref12
At the Annual General Meeting of the Workers and Unemployed Action Group it was unanimously agreed that the group would make a donation to start the Mayor’s Fund for 2012.
Yesterday afternoon, members of the group met with WUAG Cllr Billy Shoer, Mayor of Clonmel and presented him with a cheque for €1000, from the Worker’s and Unemployed Action Group, toward the Mayor’s Fund.
The cheque was presented by WUAG Treasurer, Mrs Kathleen Bulbert. Also present were WUAG Councillors Pat English, Brian O’Donnell and Helena McGee.
South Tipperary TD Seamus Healy called on all other councils to follow suit. Photograph: David Sleator/ The Irish Times
GENEVIEVE CARBERY
South Tipperary County council has reversed its decision to withhold payments from third-level grant applicants who have not paid the household charge.
It said the “following receipt of further advice” today in relation to the matter, grant payments will not be withheld from applicants who have not paid the household charge.
The council said it will process 450 grants in 2012, of which almost 70 per cent have been processed to date.
Independent South Tipperary TD Seamus Healy welcomed the move and called on “all other councils to follow suit” and for Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan to “instruct them to follow suit”.
Yesterday, eight local authorities were considering following the lead of South Tipperary County Council and Clare County Council..
As Clare County Council yesterday defended writing to some 800 college grant applicants, student groups staged a protest outside the council’s offices in Ennis. In a statement yesterday the council said it would “prioritise” payments from households which had paid the charge. However the council said it had not at any stage indicated that grant payments would be withheld from applicants that have not paid the household charge.
Only grant-renewal applications are being processed by county councils. All new grant applications for 2012-2013 are processed completely by the central grant authority, Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).
“SUSI is not seeking proof of payment of the household charge from applicants,” it said in a statement.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0919/breaking24.html
Workers & Unemployed Action 