Tánaiste Simon Harris has said there is “absolutely no intention” of re-running the Family and Care referendums, despite a call from a United Nations committee to do so.
Speaking to Gript this morning ahead of today’s cabinet meeting, the Fine Gael leader said the Government would not revisit the issue under any circumstances.
“We absolutely will not be doing that,” he said.
“The UN is perfectly entitled to their opinion. The opinion that matters much more to me is the opinion of the people of Ireland. They gave a resounding decision on that last year. We have absolutely no intention of revisiting it at all. I certainly don’t.”
The remarks were made in response to recommendations from the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which published its latest report on Ireland this week.
As reported by The Irish Times this week, the committee said the Government should not give up on the issue following the failed referendum, and encouraged it to “find alternative wording” and conduct a new vote on Article 41.2 of the Constitution.
“The committee recommends that the State party conduct an independent evaluation of the referendum, carry out information campaigns on the negative reinforcement by article 41.2 of gender stereotypes about women’s roles in the home and undertake inclusive public consultations to find alternative wording with a view to holding another constitutional referendum on amending article 41.2 of the Constitution to remove the stereotypical language on the role of women in the home,” the report stated.
Article 41.2 currently says “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,” and adds 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.”
In the referendum held on March 8th 2024, voters were asked whether to delete this language and replace it with a gender-neutral article on supporting general care within the family.
The measure was defeated by a wide margin, with 73.93% voting No. A parallel referendum on expanding the constitutional definition of family was also rejected, with 67.69% voting against. These were among the strongest rejections in the history of Irish constitutional referendums.
Of the 39 constituencies, only Dún Laoghaire backed the Family Amendment, and none supported the Care Amendment. Donegal recorded the highest No vote for both proposals.
The referendums were supported by the governing coalition parties and most opposition groups, but faced resistance from Aontú, Independent Ireland, and various civil society organisations.
Turnout was 44.36%.
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