Louth councillor shares family experience at Yes campaign launch

Cllr John Reilly has shared his own family's experience at the launch of the Fine Gael Yes campaign, for the constitutional change required to recognise the rights of carers in the home, which will be held on March 8th.

Kilcurry native Cllr Reilly, said he was extremely honoured to be one of a few councillors chosen to speak at the campaign. The constitutional referendum will delete article 41.2 to remove the text of the role of women in the home and insert a new article to recognise the family care unit. This will recognise thousands of grandparents, fathers and siblings who provide care for those in the home and will be recognised by the state.

Cllr Reilly is father to Christopher Reilly, the youngest son of John and Majella Reilly. He is severely autistic, nonverbal, and suffers from epilepsy.

“Because of our own personal experience of looking after our son Christopher in the home, we realize that it is a family role that include all members of the family. Without the help from immediate family members and extended family, Christopher’s upbringing would have been much more difficult” Majella Reilly, Christopher’s mother, has said.

In the speech delivered by Cllr Reilly, in front of the Taoiseach, Minister Heather Humphreys TD, and members of the parliamentary party, Cllr Reilly explained how even family occasions such as weddings and christenings all must be planned out meticulously in advance, and Christopher will require primary care for the rest of his life.

The constitution as it stands currently only mentions the role of a mother in the home, which currently recognizes that “by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved”. A new article, 42B, would be inserted which recognizes that the provision of care by members of a family “gives to society a support without which the common good cannot be achieved and shall strive to support such provision”.

Cllr Reilly says that the Constitution as it stands fails to recognize the complexities of caring for the modern family bond.

“Voting yes will change that,” Cllr Reilly commented, adding that it would recognize him as a carer for Christopher on an equal basis to any other member of the Reilly family.