The legislation to provide for two referendums to amend the Constitution passed through the Dáil earlier this week without much fuss. A few hours of debate before the Christmas break and a few after it have been deemed sufficient to allow the proposed changes to go before the people. If passed by the Seanad next week, where a similarly expedited timescale is envisaged, it will clear the way for the Government to name the date for polling, expected to be March 8th, which is International Women’s Day.
If passed by the people, the referendums will amend the Constitution to remove the references to women’s role in the home and also broaden the definition of the family to include families other than those based on marriage. The existing language in the Constitution is narrow, outdated and sexist and equality campaigners have long sought changes . There has been a lengthy preparation for this stage of the debate, with recommendations from a citizens’ assembly and consideration of the questions by an Oireachtas committee. Senior officials spent much of last year working on the proposed changes’ wording.
The case for changing the Constitution in this regard is strong. But the haste to rush the legislation through the Oireachtas is as unnecessary as it is unseemly. It is a result of two factors – the Government’s inability to agree a wording in good time last year and its desire to hold the votes on International Women’s Day. The former suggests poor management; the latter reeks of gesture politics. Neither reflects much credit on the Coalition.
But voters must judge the proposals on their merits. Over the coming weeks, the new Electoral Commission will undertake an impartial information campaign about the proposed changes. Its role is not to advocate for the changes the Government has proposed, but rather to explain them. The Government parties say they will campaign for the measures, although there is a palpable lack of enthusiasm among many in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael – at least – for the task. Much is likely to be left at the door of Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman, who has, to put it mildly, other fish to fry at present.
Much of the work in campaigning for the changes is likely to fall to the civil society groups and NGOs who have advocated in the cause for many years. But some of these organisations are obviously underwhelmed at the changes proposed. Those organisations which are substantially funded by the public purse will also have to be careful that those funds are not used for campaigning purposes.
Referendums have a habit of blowing up in the face of their sponsoring governments, as voters take the opportunity to deliver a slap to their political leaders. That possibility clearly cannot be discounted on this occasion.