Referendum!

[springbrigid]

Anyone inclined to give an opinion? I am leaning towards a yes/no vote, the yes to remove what I see as sexist language in the constitution, the no because the government are so appalling in terms of providing services and rights to disabled citizens and I feel the clause is paternalistic and pushes care on families yet again

Well seeing as it was a disaster and continues to be, there's no 'fairness' about it as the Leave campaign was riven with lies. Ireland is far more democratic than the UK as we actually have an impartial referendum commission.
Other countries such as Norway and Denmark have also run second referenda on ostensibly similar topics.

There was two reruns referendum I know, Lisbon and Nice.

The people were listened to. Both of which were reworded guarantees sought and added and they then passed.

This government doesn't believe the electorate has the right to a voice especially ROG and LV.

While I agree with you that Gript can be very sensationalist and their reputation as being very right wing is probably justified, I think that in this instance he was asking a legitimate question that I would have liked to have heard the answer to.
In walking away as they did the clip probably got a lot more publicity than it would have got had they engaged with him.
Having said that, it is not shown what happened prior to the question being asked so the context of the video is unclear.

The mood in Govt has changed between Leo's deplorable act yesterday refusing to answer the Gripts question re referendum misinformation & Mary Lou saying Sinn Féin will run a second referendum if it doesn't pass.
She also contradicted herself saying she didn't agree with the way the new constitution would be worded.
If she doesn't agree with the new wording she should be getting behind a no vote rather than promising a rerun of referendum. Like what would that cost the state financially? This one is bad enough!

https://gript.ie/varadkar-walks-away-from-gript-question-mid-sentence/

Deplorable behaviour from our Taoiseach. Between Leo refusing to answer a question on misinformation & walking off the podium to Roderic O Gorman refusing to release the minutes of a meeting about the referendum one has to wonder what are they hiding? What's their agenda behind this referendum?

I don't like Gript, but politicians picking and choosing whose questions they'll answer is a really bad look - and reveals a massive lack of belief in their own position.

We voted twice on divorce, in 1986 and 1995.

@DeanElderberry disgraceful. Usually they answer Gript. I think it was because the question was relating to misinformation that Leo refused to answer.
To be honest between Leo's behavior yesterday & Mary Lous statement I don't think the govt are as confident that the referendum is going to go in their favour.

https://gript.ie/roderic-ogorman-says-he-will-not-release-minutes-of-meetings-on-constitutional-changes/?fbclid=IwAR2otXxZVnYkqNtjlXEqGBOyBNVU9itWzVp7sNdMrRmRejEdwDBBPd8nOJE

What is the cover up?

Article by Dearbhail MacDonald in todays Guardian. More even handed than I'd expected.

Have you a link?

My phone is on the blink @festivefavorites . 3 years ...built in obsolescence!

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/21/ireland-women-equality-referendums-constitution

No/No. How dare they even suggest removing this protection for women. What will happen to child benefit if mothers are no longer recognised? And the rest of course. They won't even define what a woman is any more. The nerve of these degenerates, women still being attacked for the benefit of men in Ireland. Sickening.

@Starboy14 no wonder O Gorman didn't want the minutes of the meeting released & Varadker refused to answer a journalist & walked out yesterday at a press briefing.

I am no fan of Gript either but they are the only news outlet questioning this government about anything regarding the referendum.
I hope the arrogance shown by the government yesterday hits them hard, I really do.

Gript also questioned Catherine Martin about her misinformation and she shows clear disdain also.

gript.ie/martin-contradicts-electoral-commission-on-upcoming-referendum/

I'm glad we have gript to ask the questions that need asking and to highlight what's going on unlike RTE the government propaganda mouthpiece.

Why does feel like the government are robots programmed to repeat regardless of the question?

They keep repeating the same sentences

They seem to be completely unable to accept any wrongdoing or misinformation spreading by themselves.

@honeyrider so am I. The mainstream media is very one-sided & they are completely in league with the government. Gript is asking & publishing what I want to know. And as a citizen what I'm entitled to know.

Many colleagues of mine are in no way fans of Gript but have said recently it is one of the few sources where they have been getting the information they want to know.

Women are not being removed from the constitution. Women currently are referenced 3 times

the proposal is to remove “women” as a distinct category. The other two references are conjoined with “men”. So removal in the way proposed absolutely does remove women as a separate and protected category from the constitution

https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0221/1433585-no-referendum/?fbclid=IwAR01m21ZhPQpYv3KqJNrl1vhmux3u5eARtul6UyNQXG4UMr0IbvLZvV_lKE

Good on them! Shocked RTE have reported on this though.
Huge well done to this group, hopefully more will follow.

Leo is on Ireland AM, not sure what he's going to say about it

Did any of you watch the Upfront programme on RTE on Monday night? It was excellent. Thomas Byrne was on for the yes side and he did more for the No side than anyone could have hoped.

He actually said that if this is passed, you could conceivably be a married man who has not yet divorced, in a legally binding new durable relationship!!!!

@Iloveshihtzus I recorded it but keep forgetting until I am just about to go to bed. I'm out tonight but think I'll watch it tomorrow. Leo didn't say anything of substance on This Morning. Just that 'durable' wasn't plucked from the dictionary there is legal precedent for it. Tommy Bowe said to him that in the Marriage referendum we all knew exactly what we were voting on and the wording was clear, this is 'as clear as mud'
LV said that in the marriage ref there were untrue allegations thrown around as well about what it could/ would mean. But Tommy was like we still knew what we were actually voting on, we don't with this. Leo didn't say much. - sorry very much so putting what was said into my own words

What bothers me, given an election is looming in the next year or so, is that now FF and FG are basically in league with each other, who the fuck else is there to vote for? Sinn Féin - no thanks!

I usually vote independents anyway, but they never get very far. It's frustrating because at least when FF and FG were against each other you could get rid of one crowd for a few years and deal with the other lot. And they would challenge each other in opposition. They are now comfortable in sharing power.

They are far too comfortable which is why they are pulling this shit without shame.

@Farmageddon Sinn Féins policies are very similar to FG & FF. There is zero opposition. All bowing to Europe & trying to appear the most "progressive". The Greens & Labour as bad. All in cohoots together.