THE GREEN PARTY has today launched its campaign for a Yes vote in the upcoming referendums in March. 

On International Women’s Day, on 8 March, voters will be asked to decide whether they want to accept changes to the Irish Constitution relating to the provision of care and a woman’s place in the home. 

Voters are being asked if they want to:

• amend Article 41 of the Constitution to provide for a wider concept of family (i.e. not one only based on marriage)
• delete Article 41.2 of the Constitution to remove text on the role of women in the home, and insert a new Article 42B to recognise family care

The three Government parties – Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party – are all advocating for a Yes vote, of course. 

As the Greens launched their Yes campaign today, party leader Minister Eamon Ryan said that “voting yes to this referendum will get rid of sexist and archaic language that no longer speaks to the Ireland we live in today”.

“It will be more inclusive and give full recognition to everyone who provides care in our homes whether that’s to children, to older relations or to people with disabilities,” he said. 

Minister for Equality Roderic O’Gorman said that the wording of the Constitution currently “does not match our values as a society”. 

“The current wording means the exclusion of thousands of relationships, that we would instinctively describe as families, from the recognition and protection of the Constitution,” he said. 

“It describes women in a singular role, divorced from the reality of their lives and careers, across our State today. And it fails to recognise that care in a family, be it the care of young children, a sibling with a disability, or an elderly parent, is a role for everyone, irrespective of their gender.”

Knowledge of referendums

An Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll, published today, found that 53% of all votes say they know “hardly anything at all” about the upcoming referendums. 

In the referendum in relation to the definition of family, 52% of people said they would vote in favour, with just 15% against. A further 27% said they didn’t know. 

In the care referendum, 59% of people said they would vote in favour, while 12% said they would vote against and 23% are undecided. 

Reacting to the fact that over half of people know “hardly anything” about the referendums, Ryan told reporters at the launch of the campaign today that “we need to use this next month to really have a debate in our country”. 

“We’re fortunate in our constitutional system that the Referendum Commission [has] the requirement for balance, the requirement for arguments to be heard on both sides,” he said. 

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“I think that will help inform us, all of us, on what the issues are here. A month is a long time in politics,” the Minister added. 

He said this is a “significantly important” referendum and it’s “really important” to get people out to vote. 

Other parties

Sinn Féin confirmed last month that it will support a Yes vote in both of the referendums. 

People Before Profit, though speaking out about their reservations, have also stated that it will back a ‘Yes’ vote. 

The Social Democrats are understood to be begrudgingly backing  a ‘Yes’ vote, with sources within the party stating that it is “the right thing to do”. The party, which tabled amendments to the legislation this week, believe the government’s wording doesn’t go far enough, but that a no vote would be damaging. 

The Labour Party has also confirmed it will be backing a Yes vote.