‘Yes’ votes in the upcoming care referendum, according to Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman, would allow citizens, including parents of individuals with disabilities, to sue the government to make sure the state provides enough support, reports RTE.
Additionally, he argued, it will force the government to increase financing for disability programmes in next budgets.
Accepting that a Yes vote would not bring about any “immediate, tangible” benefit, it would still strengthen the laws and rights pertaining to care.
“You do not set a policy in the Constitution, but you set a direction and you bring policy in that direction,” he stated, reports RTE.
On March 8, there will be two distinct referendums.
Article 41.2—”by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved”—and Article 41.2.2—”the State shall endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home”—are proposed to be removed as part of the care referendum.
If passed it would be replaced with a new Article 42B to say: “The State recognises that the provision of care by members of a family to one another by reason of the bonds that exist among them, gives to Society a support without which the common good cannot be achieved, and shall strive to support such provision,” reports RTE.
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