The referendum result is not a defeat for people with disabilities, carers, women or families.This is a defeat for the government, and the entire political class - including opposition - that backed yes/yes from the beginning of this referendum. The failure to make strong, clear proposals that gave people rights, status and resources is why people have rejected these amendments. The family amendment was an opportunity to fully reflect that we have moved on from a church state, but the government fluffed it. The care amendment particularly was a cynical abdication of the state’s responsibility to carers and people with disabilities.

They did not listen to the citizen’s assembly, they did not listen to people with disabilities and carers who told them it made matters worse rather than better. They now must listen to the message they have been given, that people expect care to be a responsibility of the state and that basic legal rights regarding relationships should not have to be sought in court. My party, Rabharta, the party for workers and carers, made these points during the campaign and we want to continue to engage with workers, carers, and people with disabilities to advance these concerns politically. This referendum is a defeat for the government and the political class around them, not for women, people with disabilities or carers. Now is the time to make political demands for rights, status and resources for all of us.

Our Party Statement on #FamilyRef and #CareRef results:

#IrishPolitics #Ireland #WorkersAreCarers #CarersAreWorkers #Referendum #WorkersAndCarers #disability #care

We disagree with the change to the care amendment. We have spoken with people with disabilities and carers, and they feel that it does not protect them. This puts the responsibility of care completely on family members. It only guarantees care for people with disabilities if a family member chooses to care for them. The government held a Citizens’ Assembly to listen to the people affected by these changes. The Citizens’ Assembly recommended a protection for care in the home *and* in the wider community. A committee made up of people from all political parties agreed with this recommendation. But then the government ignored this.

There should be a No vote on the care referendum on friday. The government need to be pressured into running another referendum with better wording. This must protect all care in the home and in the wider community. Society would not function without all types of care. It should be the role of the state to make sure that its importance is protected in our constitution. They must also improve actual supports and do more to protect the rights of people with disabilities and carers.

What You Need to Know for Friday's Vote! [Accessible Version]

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#FamilyRef #CareRef #WorkersAndCarers #Referendum #Carers #Disability #DisabilityRights #Ireland #IrishPolitics #Democracy #CarersAreWorkers #WorkersAreCarers #HumanRights

Accessible Version: This Friday, you will be asked to vote on 2 separate changes to the constitution. They are 2 separate changes, but they are linked. Swipe to read about the 2 changes and our opinions and recommendations.

First Change: This is called the Family Amendment. At the moment, the definition of the family refers to families based on marriage only. You will be asked if you want to change that definition to include families based on marriage and other durable relationships. The term ‘durable relationships’ is not defined. It will be up to the courts to decide. But it would likely include for example: unmarried couples, single-parent households, and grandparents raising grandchildren.

Second Change: This is called the Care Amendment. At the moment, our constitution talks about how the life of the woman in the home is important for society. You will be asked if you want to replace this with a section about the importance of care, that doesn’t mention gender. The new wording talks about care being provided by family members to one another, and that the state will strive to support this.

Our political party ‘Rabharta: The Party for Workers and Carers’ is calling for a: •Yes vote in the Family Amendment - white paper •No vote in the Care Amendment - green paper We agree with the change to the family amendment. It is a small change and it could have been better, but it is a step in the right direction.

What You Need to Know for Friday's Vote! [Accessible Version]

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#FamilyRef #CareRef #WorkersAndCarers #Referendum #Carers #Disability #DisabilityRights #Ireland #IrishPolitics #Democracy #CarersAreWorkers #WorkersAreCarers #HumanRights

This referendum process began with a citizens’ assembly and has ended up with a cynical face-saving exercise for the minor coalition party. While the 39th amendment on the family is only a marginal improvement on an archaic constitutional text, we are advocating a Yes vote because it extends the status of ‘family’ to more people in different kinds of relationships.

On the care proposal in the referendum on the 40th amendment we are firmly backing a No vote. This is following extensive discussion in our party and with people with disabilities and carers who feel very strongly that the findings of the citizens’ assembly on this topic have been set aside. “The seemingly progressive care amendment is a cynical window-dressing exercise which actually abdicates state responsibility for care and erodes the status of people with disabilities and carers. This is corroborated by people affected directly by the amendment as well as advocacy groups, experts and even acknowledged in part by the Green Party minister who proposed it.

It takes a certain level of hubris to call a citizens’ assembly and then ignore its findings while pressing on with a referendum exercise which is clearly a popularity gimmick given the day on which it is to be held. It is certainly a reasonable point to make that these referenda follow in a government tradition of tokenistic insults painted as progressive gestures. “The ministers responsible for these referendums deserve the bloody nose the electorate wants to give them on it. This government has continually failed workers and carers, particularly women and people with disabilities.

Should the care amendment fail, as is looking increasingly likely, the referendum process should be rerun on the text proposed by the citizens’ assembly with resourcing attached accordingly. A universal right to care and independent life should be extended to everyone living in the State. Without domestic labour and care society would not function, and it should be the role of the state to ensure that its importance is reflected not only in language but in material supports, rights and status.”

Statement from Party Leader and Ireland South MEP Candidate @lornabogue.bsky.social :

#YesNo #FamilyRef #CareRef #Referendum #workersandcarers #ecosocialist #ireland #WorkersAreCarers #CarersAreWorkers #irishpolitics #irishpol #workers #carers #democracy

Vote Yes-No on 8th March For Family and Care

At 'Rabharta: The Party for Workers and Carers', after extensive debate which placed the voices of carers and people with disabilities at its centre, we've decided to support a Yes-No vote for the upcoming 2 referenda this Friday 8th March!

#YesNo #FamilyRef #CareRef #Referendum

Tonight at plenary @rabharta.bsky.social backed a yes/no vote on the 2024 referenda

Yes to #FamilyRef
No to #CareRef