Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland makes presentation on the rights of the family in the Irish Constitution
On Tuesday 26th April 2005, representatives from the Church of Ireland made an oral presentation to the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution. The submission, made in January 2005, regarding Articles 40.3, 41, 42.1 and 42.5 on the rights of the Family formed the basis of this hearing. (Click here to view the January submission.)
The delegation, which was made up of Rt Revd Michael Jackson, Bishop of Clogher, Ven Robin Bantry White, Ms Claire Burrows and Mr Sam Harper, called for a broader view of the nature of the Family, proposing that serious consideration be given by the Committee to the current UN definition. The Bishop of Clogher gave an outline of the Church of Ireland doctrine on marriage and how it ?expresses to society something of the union between Christ and the church.? However, he added that the church was aware that this was not a reality for many in today?s society and that the Constitution should address the needs of these people without reducing the attractiveness of marriage: ?Our feeling is that the State ought to make marriage itself a specifically attractive way of life thereby enabling it to make a contribution to the stability and welfare of society in general and to the whole being of society as all participate and engage in it?, he said. (click here to view the Bishop's presentation)
Mr Sam Harper then addressed the Committee calling for increased transparency in family law cases to enable clearer policy making, while still protecting the privacy of those involved. Changes in Articles 41.2.1 and 41.2.2, which refer to the woman?s ?life within the home? were also proposed, asking that it be made more gender neutral. He then asked the Committee to avoid too much inequality between mother and father and highlighted that, at all times, priority given to the best interests of the child. ?To highlight the rights of the most vulnerable members of the family unit, that is children, we recommend the express guarantee in the Constitution of the rights of the child to ensure that in all actions regarding children, paramount consideration will be given to the best interests of the child. We endorse the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and strongly urge the Committee to look seriously at the recommendations contained therein?, he said.
There was then an opportunity for the All-Party Oireachtas Committee to ask questions of the delegation.