Amnesty International Ireland have voiced their concern that the proposed Constitutional Convention’s remit may be too narrow. Bulletin readers may recall other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as ICCL and the Children’s Rights Alliance voiced their concern over proposed reforms in the forthcoming constitutional convention include reducing the presidential term to five years; provision for same-sex marriage and amending the clause on the role of the women in the home.
Amnesty’s executive director Colm O’Gorman commented that “the constitutional convention could have been a chance to examine how we change the fundamental law of this country to better protect the human rights of people in Ireland.” He commented further that “the Government has only specified a limited number of issues for consideration by the convention, some of them relatively minor and technical in nature.” Amnesty is campaigning to ensure that the Convention reviews wider areas, such as adequate health, housing and income - "rights which impact on everyday lives and our basic standard of living."
Click here to see an article by the Irish Times on the issue.