May 2023
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has made a submission to the Inter-Departmental Committee on the Referendums on Family, Care and Gender Equality following the publication of proposed wording for constitutional change in articles 40.1 and 41.2 of the Irish Constitution.
ICCL is not convinced that the recommendations on new Constitutional wording put forward by the Committee on Article 40.1 will provide the level of protection required to truly promote equality and combat discrimination in Ireland. Similarly, we are unconvinced that the proposed wording on Article 41.2 will provide for equal protections for private and family life for marital and non-marital families, and we consider the interlinkages between Article 40.1 and Articles 41.2 and 41.3 require further analysis to ensure full and equal protections for carers and for people with disabilities, in line with Ireland’s regional and international human rights obligations.