SEANAD REPORT:IT WAS rather disturbing to hear the constant tones of negativity towards the McKenna judgment from various politicians but mainly from the Government, Ronan Mullen (Ind) said.

The principle that taxpayers’ money should not be abused by one side or another in a referendum campaign was an important one, regardless of whether or not there was apparently 90 per cent support for a proposal. In that regard he felt that credit was due to the Irish Times journalist who had sounded an alert about a proposed Oireachtas committee photocall concerning the children’s rights referendum and to the Oireachtas communications unit for its speedy realisation that it was not appropriate “for the services of this House to be made available to advocate for one side or another or to assist others in doing it”.

Mr Mullen noted that the Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, had suggested the judgment might be revisited in the courts at a future date. “If that is not a nod from the executive to that judiciary about what they would like to see happen in the future, I think it is a nod that would have been better not made or nodded.”

David Norris (Ind) said he deplored the fact that a group of Oireachtas members had been inhibited from making their opinion clear on the children’s referendum. If Oireachtas members had a conscientious difficulty with the referendum they should have the same facility to make them known.

Colm Burke (FG) said he did not think that the taking of a photograph of Oireachtas members in support of the referendum would constitute an abuse.