With ballots set to be cast on twin referendums on Friday, Prime Time has been meeting prospective voters to understand their arguments for voting yes and no on each of the 'Family' and ‘Care’ amendments.
Care Amendment
Lynsey O’Donovan is a carer for her 21-year-old son, Jack. She is arguing for a yes vote, which she says would improve the level of recognition given to the work of carers.
Alannah Murray is a disability rights advocate. She says the wording of the proposed amendment "doesn’t oblige the State to do anything" to assist people with disabilities, and without that obligation "the State won’t act."
Family Amendment
Tommy Cooke is a farmer based on the Tipperary-Kilkenny border. When it comes to the Care Amendment, he is voting no. He has concerns about changes to the definition of the family within the Constitution, and says it's unclear what will be considered a durable relationship in future, in the event the amendment is passed.
Breda Murray is a separated mother of four children. Two of her children were born while she was married, and two were born prior to that. She says a yes vote will mean all her children are equally recognised under the Constitution.
The four voters spoke to Prime Time as part of a special programme debating the merits of the two proposed amendments. You can watch the full programme featuring a debate between Tánaiste Micheál Martin and barrister Maria Steen, here.
