Letters

Referendum on the role of women

Constitutional semantics

Sat Mar 11 2023 - 00:12

Sir, – A referendum to amend Bunreacht na hÉireann so it no longer references a woman’s “life within the home” is a welcome one. However, without also providing properly State-subsidised childcare, addressing the gender pay gap, and offering more than two weeks of paid paternity leave, a change in constitutional semantics is exactly as useful as a fish with a bicycle. – Yours, etc,

ALISON TREACY,

Glenageary,

Co Dublin.

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Sir, – How fortuitous and convenient that the Government announcement of a referendum on the role of women happened to coincide with International Women’s Day.

This win-win proposal to delete and replace the constitutional reference to the place of women being in the home will undoubtedly and rightly prove to be a “no-brainer” for most of the population, with the Government being allowed to bask in the afterglow of once again backing the winning side.

Then the State and successive Irish governments can return to being the most dogged adversary of women when it comes to the disproportionate impact on women of issues such as health, education, housing, caring for the sick and elderly, not to mention child-minding. No doubt when women are forced to seek legal redress for the actions of the State and are dragged through the courts by them and their representatives, they will be comforted by the knowledge that they were given the opportunity to vote for and now enjoy gender equality. – Yours, etc,

DAVID DOYLE,

Sandymount,

Dublin 4.

Sir , – The referendum on women’s equality is long overdue.

However, the body politic should reflect on the decision of the electorate in 1979 to allow all third-level graduates to vote in Seanad elections. This decision has yet to be implemented.

What is the purpose of holding referendums if the decision of the voters is ignored? – Yours, etc,

J VINCENT CARROLL,

Rathfarnham,

Dublin 14.