‘Lacklustre government campaign’ – How are politicians reacting to expected No-No result in referendums?

Although the results of both referendums aren’t known yet, early indications strongly suggest a No-No result.

Michael McDowell

Senator and former Justice Minister Michael McDowell has been campaigning for a No-No vote.

"It definitely looks like that right across the country, I’ve been predicting this all the time, that it would be a very wide margin against two referendums.

"People have spoken, it's their Constitution, they've made a wise decision, they've rejected what I consider to be foolish amendments.

“It's the people’s day. The Constitution is their document, and in the end, they're entitled to have it in the shape or form they want,” Mr McDowell said.

Mr McDowell told the Irish Independent he expects both referendums to be 60pc in favour of “No”.

Eamon Ryan

The Minister for Transport said he would have preferred to see a Yes-Yes result for both referendums.

"If that doesn't turn out, the response to that isn’t that people got it wrong,” he told the Irish Independent.

“I don't accept that the campaign did go wrong.”

While admitting the Green Party might not get the result they wanted, Mr Ryan said: “You have to respect that”.

“It’s the vote of the people, they decide.”

Meanwhile, he added there have been many reasons to vote “No”, as both amendments concerned “complex issues”.

Ivana Bacik

The Labour leader Ivana Bacik has blamed the failure of both referendums on a “very lacklustre government campaign”.

“It certainly looks like the nos are doing well, much better perhaps than we had hoped for, but if the nos succeed, it’s a result of a very lacklustre government campaign.”

Ms Bacik added all the parties advocating for a “Yes/yes” vote “did their best”.

"We've been very clear from the start because it was not the wording we have favoured.

“This was not the wording the Oireachtas Gender Equality Committee have recommended,” she said.

Marie Sherlock

The Labour Senator Marie Sherlock also blames the possible No-No result on the “wording” of the family and care amendments.

"When faced with the choice, are we going to accept this wording, which ignored the recommendations of the Gender Equality Assembly?

“Every week, we deal with families who were let down so badly by this government, by the State with regards to shorter services for those with disabilities.

"So when faced with that choice, then, of course, we want to say something is better than nothing.

"Were we happy with them? Of course not,” Ms Sherlock added.

Norma Foley

Minister for Education decided to wait until all boxes were open in Kerry’s count centre in Killarney.

However, she assumed “more people have voted no than yes”.

Joe O’Brien

The Green Party Minister Joe O'Brien told the Irish Independent earlier that the “indications are not good”. However, he said he is not accepting defeat just yet.