Bacik welcomes Taoiseach’s commitment to Equality Referendum
Leader of the Labour Party and Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee Ivana Bacik TD has welcomed the affirmation by An Taoiseach of the Government’s commitment to hold a referendum on recommendations 1-3 of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality to delete sexist language from the Constitution, recognise a more inclusive definition of family and ensure the valuing of care.
Deputy Bacik said:
“I was delighted to welcome the Taoiseach to a very constructive meeting of the Gender Equality Committee today to discuss the 45 recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality. These recommendations represent a blueprint for addressing the gender inequalities which exist in Irish society in areas such as education, the workplace, politics and our criminal justice system. The Taoiseach must play a vital role in overseeing their implementation, which is why I was glad to hear from him today that the Government is committed to holding a referendum on recommendations 1-3 of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly.
“Although the wording of the proposed amendment or amendments remains to be finalised, the changes proposed by the Assembly would remove sexist language from Articles 40 and 41 and ensure a more inclusive definition of family and a clearer commitment to principles of equality and non-discrimination. These changes are particularly important because the text of the Constitution reflects the values of our society and our state institutions.
“Over the coming months, the Committee will be working to finalise the text of our final report, and will be doing further work on the process leading to the holding of a referendum on equality. I call on the Government to take all necessary steps to ensure that the referendum happens in 2023.”