The Free Legal Advice Centre (FLAC) has urged a no vote in the forthcoming ‘care’ referendum.

The amendment would delete a protection for mothers to not be forced to work outside the home due to economic necessity and replace it with a new article where the State would merely “strive to support” care within the family without any reference to mothers or home.

FLAC said the wording of the proposed amendment on care is ineffective, “implicitly sexist” and is unlikely to provide carers, people with disabilities, or older people with any new enforceable rights.

It said it is also unlikely to require the State to provide improved childcare, supports for carers or for children with disabilities.

FLAC said it is “hugely regrettable” that the legislative process around the referendum bills was truncated and says the “rushed process” around finalising the amendments has contributed to the weaknesses of both referendum proposals.

It support the referendum on “durable relationships” despite uncertainty around the meaning of the term.