Irish say no to change on family and women

A dual referendum in Ireland, on redefining family and women’s roles in the constitution, has been ‘comprehensively’ defeated.

Irish prime Minister Leo Varadkar: ‘I think we struggled to convince people of the necessity or need for the referendum at all.’ Picture: Getty Images

A dual referendum in Ireland, on redefining family and women’s roles in the constitution, has been “comprehensively” defeated.

The reforms, which the government and most opposition paries supported, had been intended to widen the definition of the family and clarify language about the duties of women in society that was considered outdated.

All the major political parties had supported a “Yes-Yes” vote and until recently polls had suggested a smooth passage for both on Saturday, International Women’s Day.

The votes were seen as the latest attempt to reflect the changing face of EU member Ireland, and the waning influence of the once dominant Catholic Church.

Referendum Ireland said on Saturday night (Sunday AEDT) that 67.69 per cent of 1.021 million voters had rejected the amendment on family.

The change proposed expanding the definition of family from those founded on marriage to also include “durable relationships” such as cohabiting couples and their children.

The vote on care had aimed to replace old-fashioned language around a mother’s “duties in the home” with a clause recognising care provided by family members to one another. That was rejected by 73.9 per cent of voters.

“No” campaigners argued the concept of “durable relationship” was undefined and confusing and that women and mothers are being “cancelled” from the constitution.

Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the referendums had been “defeated comprehensively” on “a respectable turnout”.

“I think we struggled to convince people of the necessity or need for the referendum at all, let alone detail the wording,” he conceded.

“That’s obviously something we’re going to have to reflect on into the weeks and months ahead.”

Peadar Toibin, leader of the only parliamentary party to back a “No-No” vote – the conservative Aontu party – welcomed the result as “a significant victory”.

The government “sold these amendments as if they were progressive and kind of virtue-signalling changes to the constitution”, he said. “In reality, there was very little if any net benefit to people in terms of bread-and-butter support.”

Niall Slaughter, a 40-year-old bank worker from Dublin, said he voted for the family amendment but not for the care amendment due to the poor wording of the question.

“I voted No for the second one because of the way it is worded, not that I think a woman’s place should be at home, just ­because it should have been more simple and straight­forward,” he said.

Caitriona Behan, 55, an adult education worker said while there was a need for a change, she felt “politicians didn’t explain the reason to change the constitution well enough”.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the government had failed to convince voters to vote Yes by not consulting with the opposition “or with other stakeholders”.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald outside Dublin castle following the referendum. Picture: GETTY IMAGES

“People were left with an unbalanced decision to make and I think it’s a great pity that the government went on this kind of solo run, and they’ve had their answer,” she said.

The country’s deputy leader, Micheal Martin, has said “the ­majority were not persuaded by the arguments for changing the constitution in this way”.

Orla O’Connor, director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, said the results of the referendums had to act as a “wake-up call” for equality and women’s rights.

“We cannot be complacent in terms of the progress that we are trying to make for women in this country,” she told national broadcaster RTE.

“The public have spoken, and we need to really consider that No vote and what is behind it and the reasons for it.”

The country of 5.3 million opted to end constitutional limits on same-sex marriage in 2015 and abortion in 2018. The constitution can only be modified through a national referendum.

AFP