Irish Constitution Outdated
Is the Irish Constitution Out Dated?
The Irish constitution was set in 1937 and it hasn’t been changed since then. This being fifty five years ago I think it has withstood the passage of time relatively well. However it does need some changes as the Irish Society has changed since then. Most of it has aged well, but in the case of Moral standards, Family structures, economic development, immigration etc. it has been found to be at odds with the will of the modern people. I think a constitution brings its power from its mutability and its capability to adapt as the country and its people adapt and change. I think of it as a living document and don't really attribute any real significance to its drafters, it has outgrown them in a sense.
When it comes to the modern Irish Family, the constitution should definitely be updated according to one family. The constitution defines a family as the headed by a married couple only. This is not support of lone parent families and should be changed. If we look at the current situations, there is a wide range of families in modern-day Ireland, which include those headed by single or unmarried mothers and fathers, gay and lesbian parents, grand-parents and other family members etc. According to the 2006 census, one in eight people live in one-parent families and I think they also should be recognized as families and given the rights of families.
People can’t adopt in Ireland because of the procedures, and not because there are not enough kids to go around. There are a lot of children in care whose mothers were unwilling or unable to care for them. The current constitution states ‘Abortion is prohibited except in cases in which there is a threat to the life of the mother.’ I don’t think this is fair as they could be children who want families and potential parents that want to adopt them but can’t, because of the current constitution. This is another matter that I really think is out dated and needs to be
The Irish constitution was set in 1937 and it hasn’t been changed since then. This being fifty five years ago I think it has withstood the passage of time relatively well. However it does need some changes as the Irish Society has changed since then. Most of it has aged well, but in the case of Moral standards, Family structures, economic development, immigration etc. it has been found to be at odds with the will of the modern people. I think a constitution brings its power from its mutability and its capability to adapt as the country and its people adapt and change. I think of it as a living document and don't really attribute any real significance to its drafters, it has outgrown them in a sense.
When it comes to the modern Irish Family, the constitution should definitely be updated according to one family. The constitution defines a family as the headed by a married couple only. This is not support of lone parent families and should be changed. If we look at the current situations, there is a wide range of families in modern-day Ireland, which include those headed by single or unmarried mothers and fathers, gay and lesbian parents, grand-parents and other family members etc. According to the 2006 census, one in eight people live in one-parent families and I think they also should be recognized as families and given the rights of families.
People can’t adopt in Ireland because of the procedures, and not because there are not enough kids to go around. There are a lot of children in care whose mothers were unwilling or unable to care for them. The current constitution states ‘Abortion is prohibited except in cases in which there is a threat to the life of the mother.’ I don’t think this is fair as they could be children who want families and potential parents that want to adopt them but can’t, because of the current constitution. This is another matter that I really think is out dated and needs to be