Tue 01 Jan 2007'Honest mistake' defence subject of March pollThe Government is planning to address the fallout of the
statutory rape crisis in a referendum next March which would
propose removing the defence of "honest mistake" for an adult who
has sex with a child.The amendment would be put to the people in tandem with existing
plans for a referendum on children's rights which were announced by
the Taoiseach in November, according to senior Government
sources.