Two proposals about the understanding of family and the importance of caregiving have been decisively rejected, as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted the government’s case didn’t win over the populace and received “two drubbings” at the ballot box.
The proposal about making changes to the interpretation of family, which entailed broadening it to include durable relationships in addition to marriages, saw a significant majority of 67.69% voting against it.
Similarly, the suggestion to remove references about the role of women and mothers in the home and substitute it with a broader recognition of family care was also significantly defeated, with 73.9% of the voters opposing it.
After polling stations around Ireland opened at 9am, initial results revealing a majority voting against the two propositions led the government to acknowledge its setback by the afternoon, even though only one official outcome had been announced at the time.
Varadkar confessed that he and several others “misjudged” the situation, whilst Roderic O’Gorman, the Minister for Equality, recognised that the government hadn’t successfully argued for altering the constitution to the people of Ireland.
Accepting the electoral outcomes, Varadkar, as the head of the government, acknowledged government’s failure to persuade a majority to vote in favour of the proposals. He emphasized that when a referendum is lost so decisively, several people must have “misjudged the situation”.
On the subject of potential implications of the defeat, Varadkar conceded that the results neither highly encourage nor discourage a government, but he recognised it as “two drubbings” for their coalition.
O’Gorman expressed his immense disappointment and advised all to reevaluate their campaigning strategies, and to consider how they could have better convinced the voters.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, despite initially supporting a positive vote and the possibility of re-running the referendum, indicated that the party now wouldn’t opt for a subsequent attempt.
The Government’s propositions have been conclusively rejected, there’s no denying it. There is no intention on our part to resubmit the same questions, I want to confirm this to the public. Responding to the question of any contribution to the referendum failure due to Sinn Féin backing the Yes vote on both propositions, she denied any norms violation. She stressed the responsibility was with the Government who selected the timing and terminology.
The only dissent came from the Aontú political party, which campaigned for a No vote. Its leader, Peadar Tóibín, merged victor and critic role as he said that serious questions regarding this matter are now directed at Mr O’Gorman. He found it astonishing to see Aontú as the lone party opposing this, suggesting political world’s growing aloofness and the Opposition’s similar responsibilities.
Holly Cairns, Social Democrats leader, pointed out the direct impact of a hastily and confusedly run campaign on the referendum results. She attributed the low voter turnout and the strong ‘No’ result to the Government’s failure to communicate appropriately from the beginning of this misguided campaign. She expressed electorates’ confusion resulting from the wording of the family amendment, its potential effects especially on inheritance rights, and their disappointment due to the underwhelming care referendum.
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik, who led her party’s Yes vote campaign in both referendums, placed the blame for failure squarely on the Government. She criticised the Government for not running a robust campaign, instead opting for an uninspiring one.
Official results started flowing in at Dublin Castle after 4pm, confirming the triumph of the No campaign. The voters in Galway East solidly rejected the family amendment, with over 72 percent voting no. The Yes votes were less than 8,000. In Galway-Roscommon as well, the No vote won with ease, with 21,173 against 7,441 yes votes.
In East Cork, with a voter participation rate of 42.49%, only 31.73% cast their ballots in favour, compared to the 68.27% who voted against. Micheál Martin, the Tánaiste, remarked that there is “no simple explanation” for the rejection of the propositions and pledged that the Government would introspect on the results.
Responding to the referendum results, the National Women’s Council of Ireland voiced its acute dissatisfaction. The institution, which advocated for affirmative voting, interpreted the result as an unmistakable reminder that complacency regarding women’s rights and equality can’t be allowed.
According to a statement from Orla O’Connor, the National Women’s Council (NWC) director, the people “have made their decision”. She mentioned that in relation to family referendums, the negative vote implies that our Constitution still does not recognise the families of over 40 per cent of children born to unmarried parents and the more than one million individuals part of unwed families.
Factors like the Government’s vague wording and the political parties’ lack of guidance contributed significantly to the outcome, resulting in voter misunderstanding, confusion, and operational inadequacy. O’Connor further explained, “We endorsed a Yes vote because we maintain our belief in Irish people’s value of care; this was mirrored in prior opinion polls. We think part of today’s No vote was because the wording lacked the necessary extent, and as the promotion unfolded, it became apparent the public needed more.”
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