Independent Senator Sharon Keogan has described the upcoming referendums on the role of women and family as a waste of time and money and a “useless change” – and said women would be ‘overjoyed’ if they were, in fact, not obliged by necessity to work to spend 80% of income on childcare.
“Imagine if the Government said it would manage the economy in such a way as to make living and raising a family viable on a single income,” she told the Seanad yesterday.
She called for a debate in the House after the Christmas recess “on the two forthcoming referendums that the Government announced on the proposed constitutional change to the definition of a “family” and on the manner in which women and the role of women in society are represented in Bunreacht na hÉireann”.
“Personally, I cannot believe we are wasting time and money on this. I have often said that when the Government is either unable or unwilling to solve the real problems of this country it instead spends its time solving peripheral minor issues, or non-issues, that make it look like it is actually doing something,” she said.
“In the midst of the housing crisis, the permanent health crisis and the immigration crisis, we are going to spend tens of millions of euro, at the taxpayers’ expense, to ask the members of the public if they wish to rewrite portions of our Constitution to make them look more progressive.”
“It would be interesting if we were to ask the public what they would rather spend this money on. I wonder how many would prioritise a constitutional referendum,” Senator Keogan said.
Senator Sharon Keogan- speech from 13 Dec
Order of Business
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“At the end of the day, this is a useless change insofar as it will not change anything. The current wording of Article 41.2.1° has never prevented women from working outside of the home,” the Independent Senator said.
“Article 41.2.2° would be an incredibly helpful provision if the Government abided by it, she added.
“It states: “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”.
“Imagine if the Government said it would manage the economy in such a way as to make living and raising a family viable on a single income.”
“Women and mothers throughout the country would be overjoyed, with no more working a job for 80% of the income to go on childcare. Managing the economy is difficult and engaging in wordplay is much easier so, of course, the Government will do the latter. I would welcome a debate,” she said.
Responding, Senator Lisa Chambers said:
“Senator Keogan has asked for a debate on the two referendums that will be coming before the public next year. It is intended to have Second Stage debates on the two referendum Bills when we resume sittings in January, on the first day back.”
“It will be the first topic we discuss when we get back, so that is the earliest opportunity we could have had. The plan is to have those two Second Stage debates on that day. I take on board the Senator’s point. We did considerable work at the Oireachtas committee on the section of the Constitution on the women’s place in the home and there were differing views on it. I take the point that there are probably bigger issues in households around housing, health and the cost of living but there is a view that it has been sought to look at these provisions for a long time and there is probably never a perfect time to address issues such as constitutional reform.”