Family and care referendums defeated

By Ellen O'Brien

Ireland has voted to reject both Government proposals to change the constitution.

The referendum, held last Friday, proposed changing to The Family Amendment and The Care Amendment in the Constitution. The referendum on family wanted to change the wording to add in the term “durable relationships” to include families that haven’t been founded on marriage. They also proposed to delete the phrase about marriage being the basis that a “family is founded”.

The referendum on care proposed to change the wording to recognise all members of the family regarding the provision of care instead of just mothers. The new wording would have also included the proposed State involvement in the provision of care with the phrase that the State “Shall strive to support such provision”.

Both referendums were defeated by large margins. 67% of voters voted no to the family referendum while almost 74% casted a no ballet to the care referendum. There were 16,105 spoiled ballots.

In Cork East, where the turnout was over 42%, over 68% voted against the family referendum and over 74% were against the care referendum. In Cork North-West, where the turnout was nearly at 45%, 67% voted against the family referendum and nearly 74% voted against the care referendum. In Cork South-West, the voter turnout was near to 43%. Over 61% voted against the family referendum and over 65% voted against the care referendum. In Cork North-Central, the voter turnout was over 42%. Here 70% voted against the family referendum and 76% voted against the care referendum. In Cork South Central the voter turnout was at 45% and over 61% voted against the family referendum and over 70% voted against the care referendum.

An Tánaiste Micheál Martin said on social media: thtat the result was clear: “The majority were not persuaded by the arguments for changing the Constitution in this way.

“It is a core strength of our Constitution that the people have the final say, we fully respect their decision”.