The Worker's Party has called on the combined "Yes" side in next week's children's referendum to add a bit of urgency and push to the campaign.

"There are only 10 days left in this campaign" stated the Workers Party "and the future safety and well being of a generation of children hangs in the balance. The electorate of this country have a unique opportunity on November 10th to place children at the centre of decision making and to remedy a 75 year old omission from our constitution. We believe that the vast majority of citizens want to take that positive step into the future but the lethargy and lack of energy from the government parties' campaigns is not facilitating the process".

 "The Workers Party reiterates our view that the proposed constitutional amendment is virtually unique in our political history as it is largely about placing responsibility on government rather than bestowing power to government. In express terms in its wording the new Article 42A accepts the three central precepts of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. These precepts, namely: Non discrimination; Best interests of the Child; and Right of the child to be heard, place strict limits on how the government, or arms of the government; exercise power over children and directly impacts on how and why decisions will have to be made."

"For the first time in the history of this state children will have a voice and that voice will have to be heard".

"It is the fervent wish of the Workers Party that the crimes, the hardship, the uncaring attitude; the destroyed lives highlighted in the Ryan Report, the Murphy Report, the report on deaths of minors in HSE care, or the most recent report into conditions in St Patricks Detention Centre came to an immediate end and are never visited upon another generation of Irish children. If adopted this amendment will provide the constitutional obligation and framework for legislation to vindicate the rights of children now and into the future".

"Again we ask the Yes side, and especially the Oireachtas parties, to snap out of mid-term mode and get on to doorsteps, shopping centres, and other public places and engage directly with the electorate".

Issued 31st October 2012