THERE IS LESS than a month to go until voters go to the polls to decide if they wish to amend articles of the Irish Constitution related to the role of women in the home, and the concepts of family and care.

On 8 March, voters will be asked if they wish to:

• The family amendment, the 39th Amendment of the Constitution, proposes to amend Article 41.1.1 of the Constitution to provide for a wider concept of family (i.e. not one only based on marriage). It will insert the words “whether founded on marriage or on other durable relationships”. It also proposes the deletion of the words “on which the family is founded” from Article 41.3.1.
• The care amendment, the 40th Amendment, proposes to provide for a broader recognition of family care by deleting Article 41.2 from the Constitution and inserting an Article 42B with the following wording:

“The State recognises that the provision of care, by members of a family to one another by reason of the bonds that exist among them, gives to Society a support without which the common good cannot be achieved, and shall strive to support such provision.”

Civil society organisations such as Family Carers Ireland have said that they will be campaigning for a Yes vote in the care referendum.

But questions have been raised in relation to the wording of the amendment, with the Free Legal Advice Centre (Flac) among those to take issue with the phrase “strive to support”. 

Speaking to The Journal at the time, Flac CEO Eilis Barry said the organisation was concerned about what the wording would mean for carers and people with disabilities.

With this in mind, we want to hear directly from carers on the subject. How do you feel about the referendum? What do you think of the wording of Article 42B? Do you know how you’ll be voting? 

To share your thoughts, please send a paragraph or two to answers@thejournal.ie with the subject line ‘Care referendum’.

Please include your name, your age and county along with your answer. Let us know if you wish to remain anonymous.

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