Government approves proposals for referendums on family and care

The government has today approved the publication of the Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023 and the Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023.

The Bills propose for two amendments to the Constitution which will:

• amend Article 41 of the Constitution to provide for a wider concept of Family; and
• delete Article 41.2 of the Constitution to remove text on the role of women in the home, and insert a new Article 42B to recognise family care

The approval for publication follows on from the government decision on Tuesday to hold two referendums.

The Bills will be published in the coming days and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Mr Roderic O’Gorman, has indicated that he intends to introduce the Bills to the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity.

The referendums will be held on 8 March 2024.

The Thirty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023 proposes to amend Article 41.1.1 to 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 Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023 proposes to delete Article 41.2 from the Constitution and insert 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.’

Following the passage of the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas, An Coimisiún Toghcháin, the Electoral Commission, will prepare a statement or statements containing a general explanation of the subject matter of the proposals for the referendums and of the text thereof in the relevant Bills and any other information relating to those matters that the Commission considers appropriate. It shall also be the function of the Electoral Commission to promote public awareness of referendums and to encourage people to vote.