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Urgent calls for wording of gender equality referendums

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said it was imperative for the wording to be published as soon as possible
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said it was imperative for the wording to be published as soon as possible

The Government needs to publish the wording on the two referendums on family, care and gender equality as a matter of urgency, according to National Women's Council Director Orla O'Connor.

At an event in Dublin, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said it was imperative for the wording to be published as soon as possible.

She said that she could not understand why it was taking so long given there had been a Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality and Oireachtas Committee hearings.

They were speaking at an event organised by a coalition of organistions to highlight the importance of getting the wording of the referendum right.

Ms O'Connor renewed her demand for a referendum to remove the Constitutional provision Article 41.2, regarding "women's duties in the home", saying it never led to any positive change, but instead was used to anchor discriminatory policies like the marriage bar.

Ethel Buckley, the deputy general secretary of SIPTU, said her predecessors in the trade union had strenuously opposed the inclusion of Article 41.2 as it went against the principles of equality.

She said SIPTU is the trade union of care workers today and it wants the article repealed.

Catherine Cox from Family Carers Ireland said there is an urgent need for the wording to be published so that the much required national conversation can happen.

Asked about the Government announcement yesterday that there would be two referendums, and the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will meet the Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission in the coming weeks about conducting the campaign, Ms O'Connor said it was a welcome move.

She added: "This is our chance to remove the limits on women from our Constitution and instead recognise the value of care in all of its forms - in the home and in the wider community.

"And it is our chance to recognise and protect all families equally, including but not limited to the marital family."


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