It’s going to be a busy year on the referendum front.
Ireland has gone to the polls once already this year — voting overwhelmingly to repeal the Constitution’s ban on abortion, also known as the Eighth Amendment.
Since then, plans have been announced for Ireland to hold another referendum on removing the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution.
It now seems as though Ireland will be voting in a third referendum before the year is out. Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan on Thursday brought a proposal to delete Article 41.2 from the Irish Constitution.
Article 41.2 states that “In particular, 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.”
Arguing against the provision today, Minister Flanagan said “Our Constitution does not seek to confine the place of men; we believe it should not seek to confine the place of women. Both men and women should be able to live the lives they choose.”
Flanagan went on to say that the article “has no place in our Constitution. It undermines today’s goal to achieve real gender equality by ensuring women have real choices about what to do with their lives.”
The referendum is likely to be held on the same day as the blasphemy referendum, and the presidential election.
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