Fianna Fáil is asking you to vote YES on 8th March 2024 in two referendums to amend and modernise our Constitution. You will be voting on whether to accept the 39th and 40th amendments to the Constitution. These amendments reflect the Ireland of today, as a more inclusive and equal society.
What are you being asked to vote on 8 March 2024?
- Amend Article 41 of the Constitution to provide for a wider concept of the family (39th amendment); 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 in its place to recognise family care (40th amendment).
The 39th Amendment
Irish society has changed unrecognisably since our Constitution was written in 1937. As it stands, our Constitution recognises only one form of family – that is based on marriage. This does not reflect the reality of our modern society.
This amendment will reaffirm the family as the fundamental unit of society – but will recognise that families come in all shapes and sizes, that they are all valued and will be treated equally.
Currently, the Constitution fails to recognise unmarried parents and other ‘non-traditional’ family forms. We are all familiar with the many family arrangements in Ireland today that are not based on two people being married to one another.
The amendment will extend the Constitutional protection offered to families based on marriage to those families based on “durable relationships”. This is intended to encompass family relationships of strength, stability, continuity, and commitment.
The 40th Amendment
The value of the care and support which family members give to one another is as important today as it ever was. It is a public good and the foundation for social solidarity and social cohesion.
We need this amendment to reflect the Irish society of today. We want you to vote YES to ensure that the care provided to the family and in the home is valued WHOEVER provides it – woman or man – mother or father. Language about a woman’s “life within the home” or a mother’s “duties within the home” needs to be removed.
In addition, this amendment will place an express obligation on the State to strive to support care within the family. This is a significant step in terms of the obligation being placed on the State.
Collectively, these amendments seek to ensure that our Constitution reflects our commitment to a modern Ireland which is equal, caring and inclusive of all.