From BBC News:
Voters will be given two ballots – one white and one green.
The white ballot will ask if voters want to accept or reject the Thirty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution Bill – otherwise known as the family amendment.
This proposes inserting the words “whether founded on marriage or on other durable relationships” into the constitution.
The current protection afforded to families under the constitution, as currently written, only extends to families built around a marriage.
However, if the amendment is passed, different family units would have the same constitutional rights and protections.
Voters will also receive a green ballot. This refers to the Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution Bill – or the care amendment.
This amendment proposes to delete wording which references the role of women in the home.
It also proposes inserting the following wording with gender-neutral language: “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.”
In the Republic of Ireland, a referendum must be held if the government wishes to change something in the Irish constitution.
The constitution, known as Bunreacht na hÉireann, was first ratified in 1937 but has seen many changes over the years, including the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2015 and the repeal of the country’s abortion ban in 2018.
Counting for the twin referendums will begin on Saturday morning.
A sensible change or an attack on women, marriage and family? These things end up being caught up in the general culture wars as the various tweets below show:
MARCH 8 REFERENDUM:
Barrister Maria Steen says the proposed change to article 41.2 of the Constitution "does nothing for women, rather, it erases them".
Calling for a #VoteNoNo vote, she warned the proposal obliterates the word 'mother' from Constitution. pic.twitter.com/DxACYvgKUx— The Irish Catholic (@IrishCathNews) March 6, 2024
There is a worldwide revolt against globalism. The Referendum is an opportunity for the Irish people to strike a blow against the globalist agenda. The majority must use our power to limit, stop and reverse the aims of globalism. A NO vote is the blocking of one part of their… pic.twitter.com/5TtXS99ThQ
— Lawyers For Justice Ireland (@LFJIreland) February 29, 2024
69% of Irish mothers would prefer to stay at home — so why is the state trying to stop them in the name of women’s rights?
Read Paul Kingsnorth on Ireland’s misleading referendum: 👇https://t.co/LCQCopVy7o
— UnHerd (@unherd) March 4, 2024
I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily politics, preferring to write about big ideas in society. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.
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