Isn't this telling? Reports that:
There is a growing expectation in Government a referendum to replace the article of the Constitution that refers to women's "duties in the home" will not go ahead in November as promised.
Difficulties in agreeing a wording for a replacement article and fears a referendum campaign could lead to divisive debates about the definition of the family and gender issues have led to a growing expectation the vote will be postponed.
The November referendum was promised by the Government earlier this year, following recommendations from a Citizens' Assembly on gender equality. In July, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that it was still the Government's intention to proceed with the vote, a view echoed last week by Minister for Housing, Darragh O'Brien.
And:
A group of senior officials who are working on producing a proposed text for the constitutional amendment have yet to reach agreement. Sources say their discussions have prompted a growing awareness of the potential political pitfalls in proposing changes to a constitutional article that senior officials and politicians agree should change but are not sure to what.
It is understood there are fears that questions could arise during the campaign about the definition of a family and gender issues, leaving ministers facing questions to which they do not have clear answers.
"We will have to be able to answer the question 'What is a family?'" one politician said. It was not yet clear, he added, that the Government had an answer.
Senior sources, however, are wary that the referendum campaign could become a debate about gender, prompting questions about transgender issues that have proved highly contentious elsewhere.
If anything this demonstrates the manner in which a very specific sort of toxicity around culture wars is creeping in. Long thought that this state was fortunate in moving ahead on a range of issues in the past ten years where in other states legislation has been stymied. It hasn't prevented phenomena such as the so-called 'protests' around libraries but it has largely appeared to take the heat out of matters where in other places polities appear to be consumed by such issues (although let's not ignore a small but voluble presence in parts of the media apparently intent on fostering such divisiveness).
And it's not as if there's no need for a referendum.
Here is the Article:
| 2 1° In particular, the State recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved. |
| | 2° The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home. |
Consider this from RTÉ earlier in August:
Director of the National Women's Council, Orla O'Connor, said: "Our Constitution, our foundational document, contains restrictive language on women's role in society. It is outdated and carries a legacy of the mistreatment of women up to today.
"It's important this is amended so that it reflects the value of care and everyone's role in care right across our society.
"NWC is looking forward to a national conversation on these issues but unless wording is published soon, we're concerned about the proposed timeline."
SIPTU said there are up to 100,000 paid carers in Ireland and their work needs to be recognised.
Their Deputy General Secretary Ethel Buckley said: "A national conversation on issues as significant as women's role in society, the value and recognition of care both inside the home and in the wider community, and the definition of family, deserves time."
Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy at Family Carers Ireland, said:
"We believe this referendum, and in particular, the replacement of Article 41.2 with wording that recognises the societal value of care in the home and wider community and obliges the State to take measures to support family carers, is a milestone moment in our history and therefore are calling for the urgent publication of the wording."
According to One Family there are families living in Ireland now who are not recognised in our Constitution.
Chief Executive Karen Kiernan said: "the Government owes it to them to publish a wording as soon as possible before the referendum."
Labour leader Ivana Bacik it is unacceptable to see "delay and ambiguity" from the Government and said if there has been a change of plan "the least that the Taoiseach can do is to let that be known, and to provide clarity on when this important referendum is to take place."
I saw a suggestion that perhaps one way forward was simply to delete 41.2 in its entirety. Wonder if that's a position that might gain support.
As for polling on the issue - anyone know of any?
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