Roslyn’s article on the constitutional convention and why it is necessary to implement all of its recommendations appeared in The Journal on March 19th.
From the Article:
A referendum process that enjoins public discussion on all of the Convention’s recommendations is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to bringing our legal system up to speed with the needs of a modern society.
The members of the Constitutional Convention recognised this: every last one of them voted in favour of a second Constitutional Convention, citing the need to delve into environmental protection, Seanad and local government reform, the separation of church and State and other important issues.
However, far from pushing forward, the agenda for progressive innovation seems to have lost its verve, as the political parties focus solely on cheerleading what they now know is going to be a popular referendum to the exclusion of all else. In other words, the upcoming referenda are becoming an exercise in substituting a part of the reform package for the whole.
Equal marriage rights should be but one vital part of a national effort to address social and material equality on a broader scale – one that honours the recommendations put forward by the Convention. After all, those recommendations are the closest approximation we have of the will of the people. As such, surely they at least deserve to be put to a vote.
You can read the full article here: http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/marriage-equality-constitutional-convention-2013993-Mar2015/