ieExplains: Ireland is voting in two referendums — here is what you need to know
Will March On Take Place The 8 Referendum
On March 8, citizens will be asked to vote on two proposed changes to our Constitution which focus on the definition of family, care in the home and references to women and mothers.
Unlike more recent referendums such as the vote to introduce marriage equality, the changes put forward in these referendums are perhaps more nuanced.
Yes campaigners have been calling for the removal of what has been described as archaic and sexist references from Bunreacht na hÉireann for many years. However, some say the wording put forward by the Government is not strong enough.
Those on the No side believe that the Constitution in its current state recognises the unique role of women and do not agree that the special link between marriage and family should be taken out.
Citizens will be asked to vote in two referendums.
The first referendum concerns the concept of family in the Constitution.
The second referendum proposes to delete an existing part of the Constitution that refers to women and mothers and insert new text providing recognition for care provided by family members to each other.
People will therefore be able to cast two separate votes and indeed some politicians and campaigners are advocating for a yes vote on one question and a no on the other.
The Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality recommended Article 40.1 of the Constitution should be amended to refer explicitly to gender equality and non-discrimination.
The group also recommended the Constitution should be changed to protect all family life and should not be limited to the marital family.
It further recommended that Article 41.2, which refers to women in the home, should be deleted and replaced with language that is not gender-specific and obliges the State to take reasonable measures to support care within the home and wider community.
The Government has not directly followed these recommendations after receiving legal advice which stated that explicitly referring to gender equality and non-discrimination could actually have a negative consequence. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said citing gender equality "could weaken the all-encompassing commitment to equality within the Constitution at present”.
The first question deals with Article 41.1.1 and Article 41.3.1 of the Constitution, both of which relate to the family. To differentiate between both referendums people will cast a vote on this on white-coloured ballot paper.
Article 41.1.1° currently states: “The State recognises the Family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of Society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law.”
Campaigners say that this line does not recognise a whole host of families that exist in Ireland today, including single-parent households, those who are in relationships but are not married, as well as grandparents and other guardians who are raising children.
It has been proposed that this line be changed to recognise family "whether founded on marriage or on other durable relationships".
The second part of this question relates to Article 41.3.1, which currently states: “The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the Family is founded, and to protect it against attack.”
It is proposed that this line would be simply changed to state: “The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, and to protect it against attack.”
Voters will receive a second green coloured ballot paper which deals with the second issue of care. This referendum proposes deleting the current Articles 41.2.1° and 41.2.2° and inserting a new Article 42B.
Currently, these sections recognise that "by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved.” This part of the Constitution goes on to say that "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.”
If a Yes vote is carried this reference to a mother's "duties in the home" will be removed and instead a new line will be introduced:
“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.”
Almost all of the political parties, including Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Green Party and Sinn Féin, are all in favour of the referendum, although some including Labour have stressed that they would have preferred the changes to go further.
Organisations on the Yes side include the National Women's Council; Family Carers Ireland; the child and family support organisation Treoir; the Union of Students Ireland (USI); and Single Parents Acting for the Rights of Their Kids (SPARK)
Peadar Tóibín's Aontú party is campaigning for a No vote along with the Iona Institute; the Irish Freedom Party; and the Christian Solidarity Party.
A number of politicians and organisations have raised issued with the suggested changes.
People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith says her party will be reluctantly voting Yes in the forthcoming votes, but she criticised the fact that the amendments will not be backed up with any firm commitment to the women, children and men who are the carers in our homes and wider communities.
Leas Ceann Comhairle Catherine Connolly believes that the essence behind mothers not being "obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home", could have been retained but instead modernised to give all carers this protection.
Applications to register to vote or change details must be received by your local authority no later than tomorrow, February 20.
You do not need to have your polling card with you when you go to vote. However, you should bring some valid form of personal identification such as a passport, a driving licence, a public services card, or an employee or student identity card with a photograph.