Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I have decided to change my vote in the care referendum from a yes to a no and I want to explain why. I called for a yes vote originally because I wanted to remove sexist language from the Constitution. I saw the religious right and the far right mobilising for a no and I did not want to give any class of a boost to those forces. I criticised the wording for merely striving to support care rather than guaranteeing it. I also criticised the wording for merely making reference to support for care in the home but staying silent on the question of State support for care outside of it.

However, in the course of this referendum, something has changed and I think what has changed is very significant. Angered by the Government’s failure to go beyond “strive” and to make mention of support outside of the family, opposition to the amendment began to develop among people with disabilities and carers. People who had faced years of State neglect, who had had to fight tooth and nail for every small thing, decided to draw a line in the sand and put the issue of their rights onto the agenda. By the end of last week, this opposition had grown to a point that I think it would be fair to describe it as a rebellion within those communities against this amendment. I think if the amendment is now defeated by the momentum generated by this revolt, the rejection will have a forward-looking character rather than a backward-looking one.

Generally, I do not care much for people who change their mind as often as they change their clothes. I am not by instinct a flip-flopper. However, I believe a good public representative needs to have not only a mouth on them but a good pair of ears. They need to be able to listen. After listening to disabled people and to many carers, I and my colleague Ruth Coppinger decided to join their call for a no vote in the care referendum. I pledge that if the care referendum is defeated, I will work with disabled people, carers and others for a new referendum, not just to delete sexist language but also to put into the Constitution an amendment along the lines proposed by the citizens’ assembly and rejected by the Government. I will conclude by reminding this House what the citizen’s assembly called for:

The State recognises that care within and outside the home and family gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved.

The State shall, therefore, take reasonable measures to support care within and outside the home and family.

I would say to vote yes on the family referendum and no to this care referendum.

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