(ZENIT News / Dublin, 14.03.2024).- The vote on the March 8 referendum in Ireland, to change the Constitution and guarantee that mothers not be obliged to work, rejected the Government’s proposal.
The present Constitution refers to “women in the home” and requests the Irish State to “endeavour to guarantee that mothers not be obliged, out of economic necessity, to engage in work in detriment to their duties in the home.”
On February 25, the Irish Episcopal Conference expressed its concern over the changes proposed, lamenting that it would be inclined to “abolish any reference to maternity in the Constitution.”
The proposal asked for a modification of article 42.1.1, which defines the family as “founded on marriage,” to include other lasting relationships,” as the LGBY+ ideology propounds.
The text of article 41.2 of the Irish Constitution acknowledges that, “with her life in the home, a woman gives the State a support without which the common good cannot be attained.” Those favouring the change in the Constitution wished to include the phrase that the State “acknowledges the care given by members of the family among themselves, given the bonds that exist between them, which gives the society a support without which the common good cannot be attained, and will endeavour to support this provision.”
The amendment to article 41.2 would do away with the clause on “women in the home” and would insert a new article that would acknowledge “the care given by members of the family among themselves given the bonds that exist between them.” The Bishops pointed out that the Irish Constitution “already acknowledges and tries to facilitate the choice of mothers who wish especially to attend to the needs of the family and the home.”
Moreover, they clarified that ”as opposed to some recent comments, the present constitutional disposition does not affirm emphatically that ‘woman’s place is in the home,’ nor does it exempt men from their duties in the home and the family.”
The Catholic Church in Ireland pronounced itself against the changes driven by the Government and the majority of the parties of the Opposition. In a world increasingly estranged from family values, Irish citizens rejected the amendments with 65% of the votes.
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar admitted that the amendments were “broadly defeated with a respectable participation.” From his politized position, he said: “I believe it was hard for us to convince the people of the necessity of the referendum, by not mentioning the details and the writing. Obviously, it’s something we’ll have to reflect on in the coming weeks and months.”
Many leaders in the world believe their ideas are indisputable and, when the people reject them, they think they managed the campaign badly, instead of understanding that there are universal goods and better customs than their proposals. In some way, Leo Varadkar accepted the richness of the family with another comment: “When you lose a referendum in this way, by this margin, there are many reasons for its defeat and, although the old adage that success has many fathers and failure is orphan, I believe that, when you lose by this sort of margin, there are many people who were mistaken and I’m certainly one of them.”
In a statement on February 25, the Irish Bishops warned that the amendment would diminish the unique importance of the relationship between marriage and the family in the eyes of Irish society, “and it’s probable that it would lead to a weakening of the incentive for young people to marry.”
The amendment proposed would have the effect of abolishing all reference to maternity in the Constitution and would not acknowledge the particular and incalculable contribution that mothers in the home have made and continue making in Ireland,” added the Bishops.
The Prelates completed the Church’s position: “Care, both inside as well as outside the home is at the center of compassion.” They lamented that up to now the “State has not recognized economically the role of women in the home. Once again, there are no indications that appropriate economic remuneration is provided for the carers.”
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