International Child Rights in National Constitutions: Good Sense or Nonsense for Ireland?

This paper explores how international child rights have empowered Ireland's institutions and actors to advocate for the incorporation of child rights into the national constitution. Moreover, the constitution and child rights hold more than legal significance, influencing political, economic, social and interpersonal spheres in a country. Consequently, constitutional child rights should improve respect of and the general situation of children. As part of the research process some children were consulted, and their contributions are incorporated throughout the paper.