McAleese calls for Yes-Yes vote in referendums

Former President of Ireland Mary McAleese announced her intention to vote Yes Yes in the upcoming referendums on care and family on the 8^th March.

Speaking at a “We Are Family” event hosted by Treoir and One Family as part of a wider platform of civil society organisations calling for a Yes Yes vote, the former President outlined her intention to vote Yes Yes in the upcoming referendums.

“This week we need to make up our minds about how best to vote. I have made up my mind and for what it is worth, I intend to vote “yes” to both proposed changes to the Constitution because I am persuaded that they will reflect the overwhelming impulse for equality and inclusivity that is a hallmark of modern Ireland.”

“They will remove from the constitution language and attitudes which have long been controversial on account of perceived sexism and the marginalisation of many people whose strong contribution to family and community life has been under-valued.”

In addition to Mary McAleese, speakers included lone parents, co-habiting couples, family and kinship carers who shared their personal experiences, the challenges they have faced and outlined what a ‘YesYes’ vote would mean to them and the hundreds of thousands of families with and without children like them. They believe it is time that the constitution recognised the diversity of families in Ireland and the reality for so many people.

Speakers included John O’Meara who recently won a Supreme Court case for the Widow’s pension, Sinéad Gibney, a single parent and former Chair of One Family, Deirdre McCarthy a social worker from Cork, and former teen parent and current family carer, Maxine Walshe a Psychotherapist and Carer, Christopher Tuite, a father supporting other parents’ role in care, Fergal Landy, CEO of National Forum for Family Resource Centres.  The event was chaired by columnist Fergus Finlay.

John O’Meara who sadly lost his beloved partner of 20 years Michelle, told how he had to take a case all the way to the Supreme Court when he and his children were refused the Widow’s Pension because he was not married. How he heard the State argue that John and his three children were not a family in the way that the Constitution recognises Family.

He said “we need these referenda to pass as the Supreme Court case did not change the definition of the family and my family should to be included in the constitution and my role as a father providing care for my children needs to be recognised. Cohabiting couples without dependent children need recognition too.”

Single parent Sinéad Gibney said “It is painful for me that my beautiful little family, of me and my daughter, is not recognised in the Constitution as a ‘real’ family. This is a wonderful opportunity to recognise us, to recognise the 43% of children born to unmarried parents today, and to recognise that historically as a society, we have failed those who have parented alone, or tried to parent alone. Please go out and vote YesYes on 8 March so we can put our dark past behind us and take this small step towards a better future.”

Deirdre McCarthy said, “Children see family as family, whether it is the traditional family of a mother and father, same-sex couples, co-habiting couples, lone parents, foster parents, kinship care. I am voting Yes Yes for all the people that helped me, for those that I help and for family and care. This referendum is a step let’s make it a big one.