Referendums to remove the constitutional protection for mothers to not be forced to work outside the home, and to explicitly recognise families not based on marriage, will take place next year.

The Government has, however, given up on inserting an explicit recognition of gender. Critics have accused the Government of not being able to define the terms ‘gender’, ‘man’ and ‘woman’.

It proposes to delete both sections of Article 41.2 on the contribution of women to the common good and the work of mothers in the home and replace it with an 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.”

The other vote will amend the article on the family to insert the words “whether founded on marriage or on other durable relationships”.

It also proposes to delete the words “on which the Family is founded” in the article pledging special care for the institution of Marriage.

A related proposal to insert a specific reference to gender will not proceed as there are other clauses referring to equality more generally, and an explicit mention of gender could ‘unwittingly downgrade’ other minorities.