A public lunchtime debate will be held at South East Technological University (SETU) on the upcoming Family and Care Referendums on Wednesday, 21 February.
The event takes place in the Main Auditorium on the SETU Cork Road Campus in Waterford at 1pm. The motion for the debate is: ‘That the proposed changes on family and care in the constitution be carried’.
Gerry Arthurs, Lecturer in International Relations and Politics at SETU will chair the debate. The supporting team will be captained by Ray Griffin, Senior Lecturer in Management at SETU. He will be joined by Councillor Mary Roche of the Social Democrats who is a member of Waterford City and County Council.
The opposing team will be captained by Colette Colfer, Lecturer in Religious Studies and Social Ethics at SETU. She will be joined by Catherine Monaghan, a stay-at-home mother with a background in nursing from County Wicklow.
Each team member will speak for five minutes and will respond to each other's points before the debate is opened up to questions from the floor.
The debate centres around the proposed changes to the Irish constitution that will be voted on in two referendums due to take place on International Women's Day, 8 March. The proposed amendments to the Constitution are to:
· Amend Article 41 of the Constitution to provide for a wider concept of family;
· Delete Article 41.2 of the Constitution to remove text on the role of women in the home, and insert a new Article 42B to recognise family care.
This event is free and is open to the public to attend. Parking is limited so members of the public are advised to avail of public transport if wishing to attend.