Consultations with the main opposition parties took place last week, with children's minister Brian Lenihan seeking views on a possible wording to enshrine the rights of children in the constitution.

"We had an exploratory meeting. It was a very general discussion about what could be put into the constitution, " Labour's justice spokesman Brendan Howlin confirmed this weekend.

The referendum on children's rights would be separate from a constitutional change on child protection arising from the statutory rape crisis, which was recently recommended by an Oireachtas committee. Government sources said there was still hope the child protection issue would be dealt with on the same day as the referendum on children's rights.

The child protection referendum and a reduction in the age of consent from 17 to 16 were two of the recommendations of the all-party Oireachtas child protection committee. With worsening conflict over the age of consent, the government is likely to longfinger legislative change on that matter. However, government sources speculated that the constitutional change arising from the statutory rape crisis could still be advanced.

With 30 days' notice required for a referendum, the government is expected to pass the necessary legislation after the Christmas recess.

This would allow for voting mostly likely on 8 March next.