Human rights commission calls for ‘gender-neutral’ replacement to article 41.2

Emily Logan

The Government plans to remove the controversial article which recognises a woman’s “life within the home”.

However, IHREC said an amended provision could recognise “the public good realised within Ireland’s diverse families and in caring roles”.

Chief commissioner Emily Logan and IHREC members Frank Conaty and Professor Siobhán Mullally told the Oireachtas joint committee on justice and equality that there is an opportunity for Ireland to go beyond deleting “an archaic reference”.

Ms Logan said: “Ireland is in the process of transformation. Our population is ageing, our families are smaller, and often come in diverse forms. In many ways our current national conversation is seeking to understand how we can ensure our fundamental law catches up, in order to be more reflective of our society.

“The Commission believes that an opportunity exists to approach reform of article 41.2 not only as an exercise in removing an archaic reference, also as a means of introducing a compassionate, generous recognition of the public good realised within Ireland’s diverse families and in caring roles.”