Ms Orla O'Connor:

The language that the National Women's Council put forward at the time to the Constitutional Convention was "that the State recognises that home, family and community life gives society a support without which the common good cannot be achieved. The State shall endeavour to support persons caring for others." That was the wording that we put forward. We wanted to bring the matter beyond family and into community life so as to recognise different care relations. That is why that was there. There is a caveat on the second part of that wording - "shall endeavour to support persons caring for others" - as we know that our members, particularly those representing women with disabilities, have a concern around its legal implications. This is something that needs further deliberation.