Press release by The Iona Institute

Convention should recommend amending not deleting women
in the home provision

Article 41.2 protects the private sphere

14
February, 2013  – THE Constitutional Convention meets this weekend to
consider Article 41.2 of the Constitution which deals with women in the
home.

In
its submission to the Convention (see note 2 below), the Iona Institute says the
provision should not be deleted but be made gender-neutral instead.

Speaking ahead
of the Convention, Maria Steen of The Iona Institute said: “Article 41.2 says
something very important, which is that the domestic or private sphere must be
protected from the demands of the marketplace and work.

“It
says that mothers should not be forced into the workplace out of economic
necessity. This reference to mothers should be made gender-neutral. Once that is
done, Article 41.2 is entirely defensible. Very few people will agree that it
would be a desirable state of affairs if both parents were forced by economic
necessity to work and were unable to strike the work/home balance they
desire.”

She
continued: “Obviously economic circumstances will often mean that both parents
have to work full-time outside the home, regardless of their wishes, but this
should not be made worse by Government policy, of which tax individualisation is
an example.”

Ms
Steen concluded: “By amending rather than deleting Article 41.2 we will be
saying that private sphere, the home, is still worth protecting. That remains a
very worthy goal, fully in keeping with the aspirations of most families
today.”

ENDS

Note to
Editors

1. The
   Iona Institute is a pro-family, pro-religion think tank
2. The
   submission can be downloaded from here ^[1].