LAST UPDATE | 25 Feb 2024

THE IRISH CATHOLIC Bishops’ Conference has said the upcoming referendum relating to the definition of family is “likely to lead to a weakening of the incentive for young people to marry”.

It adds that the ‘Women in the home’ referendum relating to the provision of care would “leave unacknowledged the particular and incalculable societal contribution that mothers in the home have made and continue to make in Ireland”.

The statement will be noted at Masses across Ireland today.

Voters will go to the polls on 8 March, International Women’s Day, and 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 will be 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

In a statement today, the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference claimed the proposed family amendment “diminishes the unique importance of the relationship between marriage and family in the eyes of Society and State” and will weaken the incentive for young people to marry.

The statement added that the family “based on the exclusive, life-long and life-giving public commitment of marriage is the foundational cell of society and essential to the common good”.

While the statement noted that not all families are founded on marriage, it added that marriage “brings stability to the family and to society” and therefore “deserves the protection of the State”.

The first Dáil debate on the referendums included discussions on what a ’durable’ relationship’ is.

The Irish Bishops’ Conference statement said “term ‘durable relationship’ is shrouded in legal uncertainty and is open to wide interpretation”. 

“It does not make sense that such an ambiguous reality would be considered ‘antecedent and superior to all positive law’ and acquire the same ‘inalienable and imprescriptible’ rights as those ascribed to the ‘family founded on marriage’,” said the statement.

Regarding the proposed care amendment, the statement said the “Constitution recognises and seeks to facilitate the choice of mothers who wish to care for the needs of the family and the home”.

It adds: “Contrary to some recent commentary, the present constitutional provision emphatically does not state that ‘a woman’s place is in the home’. 

“Neither does it excuse men of their duties to the home and family.

“We believe that, rather than removing the present acknowledgement of the role of women and the place of the home, it would be preferable and consistent with contemporary social values that the State would recognise the provision of care by women and men alike.”

The statement also says the State has failed to financially acknowledge the role of women in the home and remarks that “there is no indication that there will be provision for the adequate financial remuneration of carers”.

It also claims that the proposed term “strive to support” could weaken the State’s “constitutional responsibility to materially and legislatively support such care”.

“The present constitutional wording does not in any way inhibit women from working or taking their proper place in social and public life,” adds the statement.

“It does, however, respect the complementary and distinct qualities that arise naturally within the Family. The role of mothers should continue to be cherished in our Constitution.”

Meanwhile, the director of the National Women’s Council Orla O’Connor today said a ’Yes’ vote in the care referendum “is our chance to remove sexist language and limits on women from our Constitution”.

O’Connor added: “Do we want our young women and girls growing up in an Ireland where the Constitution still tells them that their primary place, indeed their ‘life’ is in the home? And that they have ‘duties’ and the boys and men don’t?

She said voting yes “will be a long step away from this dark past and a small step towards recognising the importance of care and the care roles of both women and men in our Constitution”.