Bacik says Government has done u-turn on gender equality referendum

Labour leader Ivana Bacik has questioned the Government’s commitment on hosting a referendum on gender equality.

Bacik, who also serves as Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee said the Government were “slipping” with regards to committing to the referendum.

On March 8th of this year, International Women’s Day, the Government announced they were going to hold a referendum on whether to add a gender equality and non-discrimination principle into Article 40.1 of the Irish constitution,  remove the ‘women in the home’ reference in Article 41.2, and amend Article 41 “to protect family life, with the protection afforded to the family not limited to the marital family.”

“On International Women’s Day this year, the Taoiseach announced that this long-promised referendum would be held in November 2023. However, the Government has been curiously quiet on the topic since then,” Bacik said. 

“Government Ministers now appear to have done a U-turn. Last week, I submitted a parliamentary question to find out if the gender equality referendum will be held in November, and when the wording of the referendum will be published. I was very disappointed by the answer, which did not answer my question at all.”

“In the Dáil today, I asked the Tánaiste to make a statement on the referendum. Alas, he too evaded my question, despite the Taoiseach’s previous commitment.”

“This referendum has been deferred several times before, but there is no excuse now – the Gender Equality Committee has done the Government’s work for it, in drafting the text of the questions to be put to the people – text which was unanimously agreed by the Committee.

The Labour leader added, “misogyny and sexism continue to hold women back – until gender equality is achieved, our democracy will remain unfinished.”

Referendums in Ireland are traditionally held concurrent with local, European or general elections, although recent referendums such as the same-sex marriage referendum and the 8th amendment referendum were held on non-election days and saw a turnout of over 60% in both instances.

The last referendum to be held in Ireland took place in 2019 when 82% of voters backed an amendment that removed the requirement for a period of separation before proceedings for divorce could be initiated as well as recognising foreign divorces.

In that instance, the referendum was held on the same day as local and European elections in May 2019.