Gender Equality Vote Will Update Women's Values

Leo’s vow to modernise the constitution

- Louise Burne

IRELAND will be a “republic unfinished” until there is full equality between men and women, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

He made the comments on International Women’s Day yesterday, as he announced that a referendum will be held to remove the controversial part of the constitution that reads: “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.”

Both the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality and the Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality recommended removing this clause.

Separate referenda could also be held on amendments that would refer explicitly to gender equality and non-discrimination.

It is further recommended that Article 41 of the Constitution should be amended so that it would protect family life, with the protection afforded to the family not limited to the marital family.