Yes Yes

What will we be voting on?

Voters will have two ballot papers in front of them.

(1) The 39th amendment (Family)

There is a twofold change propose:

A: The current wording of Art 41.3.1° of the Irish constitution is, “The state pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the family is founded, and to protect it against attack.”

The proposed new wording is:

"The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage and to protect it against attack".

The proposed change here is to remove the text “on which the family is founded”.

B: Current wording of Art 41.1.1° “The state recognises the family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law.”

Proposed: “The State recognises the Family, whether founded on marriage or on other durable relationships, as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of Society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law."

The proposed change is to add in “whether founded on marriage or on other durable relationships”.

B: 40th amendment (Care)

The current wording of Article 41.2.1° is “In particular, the state recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the state a support without which the common good cannot be achieved.”

And 2° “The state shall, therefore, 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.”

Proposed new Article 42B “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.”