Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

They might look at it, too. We might bring it to them there. My apologies.

The information leaflet for the referendum arrived in my house yesterday. I am absolutely disgusted by it. It gives no clear indication of what is involved. Minister after Minister has gone out telling the people about what it is going to do for families, yet the legal advice is that it will cause more confusion than anything else. Indeed, one of our colleagues on the Government side pointed out on Virgin Media One that people in durable relationships will find themselves in the courts to get durable relationship recognised in order to execute various forms and so on. The issues of succession rights, pension rights and all these things have been brought up. I ask the Leader to please tell me what the word "strive" will mean for those who are involved in caring full time. How will the Government strive? It failed miserably to endeavour, which is the current wording in the Constitution. We are now told care is being placed into the family but the State will strive to support carers. What does "strive" mean? Where can I bring "strive" to the bank? How does "strive" help any carer in any way? If we were serious about this, we would have said the State shall support carers, but we did not use the word "shall". We repeatedly attempted to address this during the debate on the matter in this House. That debate was guillotined in order to allow the Government to run this sham referendum on 8 March, International Women's Day, as if it is going to do something for the women of Ireland. It has done sweet damn all for them and if it passes, which I believe it will not, it will do nothing for carers or those in durable relationships.