The Chairperson of the Referendum Commission has admitted there is a relatively low level of public awareness of the Children's Referendum and the contents of the proposal.
Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan told RTÉ's News at One that she is glad there are three-and-a-half weeks to go to the vote on 10 November.
She said the commission's campaign, which commenced today, will raise awareness and give people the necessary information.
Ms Justice Finlay Geoghegan said the proposed new amendment explicitly recognises that children have rights, and puts an express obligation on the State to protect and vindicate those rights.
It provides that intervention can only occur in exceptional cases where parents fail in their duties, she said.
Ms Justice Finlay Geoghegan explained that there are some changes to the circumstances in which that can happen, including one that it applies to all parents whether they are married or not.
She said the State can currently intervene where parents fail in their duty to the child for physical or moral reasons, while the proposed new article allows State intervention if parents fail in their duty toward their child to such an extent the safety and welfare of the child might be prejudicially affected.
She said the current article requires the State to use appropriate means, but does not require it to set these out in law.
Under the new amendment, the State will be required to use proportionate means, and this will have to be set out in legislation.
Commission given smaller budget to promote referendum
The budget allocated to the Referendum Commission for the Children's Referendum is €300,000 less than the budget it had for the Fiscal Treaty Referendum earlier this year.
In July, the commission had €2.2m to spend on its campaign and to encourage people to come out and vote.
The budget is €1.9m for this referendum.
A spokesperson for the commission has told RTÉ that under the law all broadcasters must give time for commission broadcasts and the BAI has written to remind broadcasters of this obligation.
It is then up to the commission to negotiate with each broadcaster as to the extent and use of this free air time.
Separately, the commission also purchases advertising space from broadcasters for its shorter public information ads.
