Referendum on Gender Equality (THREADBANS IN OP)

No I don't want the RTE news reporting what the bishops say in terms of how people should vote. Same for other religious "leaders". Why don't we let the GAA have a say, or the Boy Scouts or the Chess club. This isn't the 1980s. We have grown up I hope. Let the religious people preach it from the pulpit to the people that still attend their weekly charade..

I don't ever recall hearing the Muslim clerics telling me how to vote on the RTE news and I don't care what they think.

The President of Ireland is supposed to be above Party politics. Apolitical.

It is unconstitutional for the President of Ireland to be involved in party politics.

As the President has a number of apolitical roles such as referring legislation to the courts under A25 of the constitution to test their constitutionality.

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There is separation of powers for a reason. Three branches as follows:

Legislature:

In Ireland the legislature is the Oireachtas. It comprises the President and two houses: the Dáil and the Seanad. The main functions of the Oireachtas are to manage the State finances and to legislate for the good of the people. The people elect the President and representatives (T.D.) to Dáil Éireann.

Executive:

The executive is the government. The government is made up of An Taoiseach and the ministers of the various government departments. The government is the centre of the administrative system in Ireland. It formulates policies, promotes legislation and directs the operations of the various departments - in a way, it is like the board of directors of a company.

Judiciary:

These are the judges who administer justice in the courts. The Irish Constitution (Article 34.1) says that justice shall be administered by judges in courts established by law.

So it's ok for the government to tell us how to vote

Hmmm are not Government Ministers coming out saying a yes vote is the right vote?

Yes. But that is on behalf of their parties not on behalf of the government. No public government can be spent on a referendum.

I haven’t talked to a single person who is voting yes. I’ve a big family and every extended member of the family I’ve spoken to is voting no, no and friends/work colleagues too.

Anecdotal evidence to be sure, but I’d be willing to bet this won’t be the shoe in the government hopes it will be…

So when O’Gorman told the NGO’s that they had better have a very good explanation if they went against the govt on this referendum he wasn’t speaking as a government minister??

"The President of Ireland is supposed to be above Party politics. Apolitical."

Indeed... but this referendum does not concern party politics! These are matters to do with society.

The only political aspect about the referendum is that the government parties have set it up and proposed the wording and they may possibly lose face if one or both fall.

The president is a citizen and a citizen with a special responsibility to review any future legislation to check that it aligns with the constitution. His views and that of Mrs Higgins would be most welcome. Have they been gagged??

I'd be grateful if you can point me to where the president is prescribed from giving his views as first citizen on referendums concerning changes to the constitution.

Legislative changes have to pass the constitutional test. Putting such loose terminology as 'durable relationship' into the constitution is a recipe for disaster in terms of social norms. Vote no.

There will be no benefit to these families in law or in practice if the amendment is passed.

There could be immense implications for “durable relationships” which are not currently treated as families.

Yes campaigners dismiss questions about polygamy or other unconventional relationships but listen carefully to the Electoral Commission. They have ruled nothing out.

Just be honest and say you’re voting yes because you want more immigrants arriving here via family reunification.

Is Neale Richmond TD a conspiracy theorist?

So if you're so sure, please explain the difference between lets say a heterosexual couple that are not married, who have children and for all intents and purposes live as a couple actively parenting their children.

and

Let's say two women and a man living likewise together unmarried as a family, with children to both women by the same man.

Are both these examples valid 'durable relationships'??

That shouldn't be hard to answer, so please don't avoid. Thanks.

The electoral commission has ruled nothing out on durable relationships but yet you authoritavely can categorically say for certain that certain relationships named above can be ruled out as durable relationships. Your posts make no sense.