The government has today announced a referendum on gender equality and removing a constitutional reference to a woman’s place being in the home will be held later this year.
The government’s intention to hold this referendum follows recommendations made by the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality two years ago.
Voting is expected to take place in November 2023.
Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar said: “For too long, women and girls have carried a disproportionate share of caring responsibilities, been discriminated against at home and in the workplace, objectified or lived in fear of domestic or gender-based violence.
“I am pleased to announce that the government plans to hold a Referendum this November to amend our Constitution to enshrine gender equality and to remove the outmoded reference to ‘women in the home’, in line with the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality.”
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman said: “I commend the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality and the membership of the recent Special Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality for their work to advance these difficult and sensitive issues.
“My department will very shortly be convening an inter-departmental committee to develop policy recommendations for consideration by Government, with a view to agreement by Government of wording for the proposed referenda.”
The decision to hold one or more referendums on this issue is in line with the Programme for Government commitment to respond to each recommendation of the Citizens’ Assembly on gender equality. Minister O’Gorman intends to publish the general scheme of one or more Referendum Bills by the end of June, so that the Electoral Commission can be briefed and the Bill or Bills can be considered by the Oireachtas.
