Making sense of the referendums

Sir, – Kathy Sheridan suggests, in her discussion of the “enough is enough” argument about the supposed backlash against Ireland’s rejection of decades of social conservatism, that the referendums rejected on Women’s Day were somehow of a piece with those that legalised abortion, divorce and same-sex marriage (“How would a right-wing party distinguish itself these days?”, Opinion & Analysis, April 10th).

This is begging the question, for the advocates of the referendums never proved this to be the case. The backlash from the caring sector made it clear that the success of the care question would have shifted the burden of care onto families, enshrining a profoundly conservative understanding of disabled people and their place in society into the Constitution, along with a neoliberal understanding of Government’s obligations toward their families.

And because the Government refused to explain what a “durable relationship” is – assuming that they knew themselves – we simply cannot say what that referendum would have meant.

The only real conclusion to be drawn from its failure is that the Coalition may have a problem with finishing its homework. – Is mise,