Really mustn't blog after a whole bottle of Chianti

Maybe it is the impact of our post-San Marino, post Croker-disappointment-blues, maybe it is that we're all too busy salivating over which stamp duty reduction proposal suits our middle class wallets best? Either way, I've not seen too much in the way of blog commentary on the proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine children's rights in our constitution. Maybe we feel we've ventilated that old chestnut many months ago when we were frantically looking for a paedophile to lynch.

But I have no doubt that our attention will return to this subject. (I just hope we don't have a horrific child abuse case to decry.) So in the interests of better information makes for a better debate, I take the liberty of establishing a couple of matters of fact/opinion (The choice is yours).

1. Despite who else might have been so labelled by him, Michael McDowell is without doubt the greatest threat to the integrity of the Irish Republic.
2. When a commentator/politician declares that it is, after all, all about the children, it is fairly safe to say that they couldn't give a fiddler's f$%^ about our young people.
3. I'm determined to bring a proposal to the people means "I'm f$%#-ed if I know what the public wants"
4. This is a complex issue = "I definitely haven't a clue what the proposed amendment says or what it means"
5. We need a debate = "I'm f#$%-ed if I'm going to be the first to declare a position"
6. We need action now seems like an obvious exhortation. But by definition constitutions aren't meant to be meddled with, without careful thought.
7. 'A zone of absolute protection', my, now aren't we the most sophisticated race on earth?
8. "Honest mistake, m'lud" ; Since when did a 55 year old child rapist deserve such a defence?
9. Why do we think that it is okay for a 15 year old girl to be aggressively cross-examined by a multi-millionaire barrister to ascertain that perhaps she was asking to be raped?
10. Would it not be easier all round if we just castrated all Irish men since they have the method, means and motive to be rapists?

That should save a couple of pages of letters to the Editor of the Irish Times!

In a previous blog life, Omani and I considered the possibility of re-writing the constitution (I still think that this would make a brilliant blog exercise). I've refined my thoughts on the preamble which surely needs only to say.

'When we talk about cherishing all our people equally' we mean the following definition of 'our people' :-

• A person of any age, gender, marital status or country of birth

We don't care if the person is 5 years of 95 years ; if they are straight, gay or celibate ; if they are Irish-born or not ; if they are married, divorced or single. A person is a person is a person.

On a lighter note, I previously designed a new national flag. I'll have a quick word with John Waters and I'm sure we can have a new anthem knocked up in no time.

Paige