Claims by Catholic bishops that the proposed changes to the Constitution on family would weaken the incentive for young people to marry have been rejected by the Minister for Public Expenditure.
The bishops urged the public to vote No in the referendums next month.
Two referendums will be held on March 8th – International Women’s Day – proposing to change the Constitution.
One, the family amendment, proposes amending Article 41 of the Constitution to extend the meaning of family beyond one defined by marriage and include those based on “durable” relationships.
In statements read out during masses last weekend, the church said that the changes on family and care would diminish the relationship between marriage and family.
However, Paschal Donohoe said the proposed wording “strengthens and protects” relationships that are important to society.
“I believe far from weakening anything within our country, I believe it has strengthened it,” Mr Donohoe said.
“The changes that we are asking the country to consider with regard to our constitution, actually, for me strengthen and protect the relationships that are so important within our society and our country.
“Due to the way in which our Constitution is currently drafted, so many young girls and boys now who are born into family units that are not recognised by our constitution.
“That for me, it’s a matter of huge importance that we can update our Constitution so that its language and values reflect the diversity of modern Ireland.
“I believe far from weakening anything within our country, I believe it was strengthened it.”
There are currently 150,000 cohabiting couples, and 75,000 cohabiting couples with children.
Almost 20 per cent of families are one-parent families, with 80 per cent of those one-parent families headed by women.
Some 40 per cent of births are outside of marriage while 40 per cent of families are non-marital.
The second proposed change, the care amendment, proposes deleting Article 41.2.1 and 41.2.2, which make reference to a woman’s roles and duties in the home, and replace it with a new article – 42B – that acknowledges family carers.
The bishops argue this will have the effect of abolishing all reference to motherhood in the Constitution and leave unacknowledged “the particular and incalculable societal contribution that mothers in the home have made and continue to make in Ireland”.
