A referendum to delete the ‘mothers in the home’ clause of the Constitution may not be put to the voters in October after all. The Government intended to delete the article in a referendum this autumn, but the Oireachtas business committee has decided they should give the issue a thorough examination rather than simple rubber-stamping the Government’s plans. They will not scrutinise the proposal in September, and a referendum might take place in 2019 instead. When the issue was previously looked at by the Constitutional Convention, 98% voted to expand the protection to include fathers and all other ‘carers’ in the home. The clause endeavours to protect mothers from being forced due to economic pressure from having to work outside the home.