By Ken Murray.

Voters in Meath East and Meath West voted in almost identical fashion with the national
trend in rejecting the Referendums on the status of the Family and Care in the home.
In the Family Referendum or 39 th Amendment to the Constitution, the national figure was
32.2% Yes and 67.7% No.
In the constituency of Meath East, the figures were 32.4% Yes (10,035 votes) and 67.6% No
(20,931 votes).
Voters in Meath West voted slightly different with 28.1% recording a Yes tally (8,263 votes)
and 71.9% No (21,157 votes).
On the Care referendum or 40 th Amendment, the National outcome was 26.1% Yes and 73.9%
No.

Above picture of Peadar and Emer Toibín of Aontú who recommended the voters to vote No along with a number

of Independent’s including Senator Sharon Keoghan who placed a prominent advertisement in the national newspapers

advocating a no vote appear to have read the feel of confusion among the voting public. When Meath Live spoke to

people they just couldn’t get their heads around the term ‘durable relationship’ what did it mean.

The political parties will be asking themselves the same question this week and in the weeks ahead.

The figures in Meath East were 25.8% Yes (7,993 votes) and 74.2% No (22,942 votes)
In Meath West the figures were 22.3% Yes (6,542 votes) and 77.7% No (22,840 votes)
Not surprisingly, the governing parties have been left with some explaining to do.
They not only got it badly wrong and misread the mood of the public, they also spent €20
million of taxpayers money on a campaign that left voters confused.
This has now resulted with a constitution that states the modern Irish Family-in all its forms-
is based on marriage only or no change on the 1937 text.
In addition, those working and demanding change in the caring community are no further on
in trying to persuade the Government to provide greater financial and resource-supports for
those who provide care in the home.

MEATH REPS REACT TO REFERENDUM REJECTION

Sean Drew

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael councillors have been left with no option but to declare that their
bosses in Dublin got it completely wrong when seeking change from the electorate last week.
Kells-based FF councillor Sean Drew, who is retiring at the local elections next June, told
Meath Live,
“I’m not surprised at the outcome. From listening to people particularly over the past week,
they did approach me about it and said they were going to vote no-no.
“There was a very poor campaign held in relation to the referendum vote. I feel that they took
it [the result] for granted as a yes-yes and I think they lost touch.”


Fine Gael Councillor Sharon Tolan who resides in Bettystown east Meath was equally
disappointed with the outcome.
“Obviously, it’s a very disappointing day. It was quite expected, it came as no surprise, I think
that the campaign in general lacked enthusiasm,” she told Meath Live.
“I think that a lot of it [the campaign] got lost in translation.

“I don’t think there was a great desire for a referendum in the first place from the whole
country, certainly from certain quarters, there was a push to changing our constitution,
updating it and reflecting our society as it currently stands,” she said.
Despite some concerns that the Referendums could be an indicator of public apathy towards
the political parties with implications for the forthcoming General Election, Fianna Fail
Councillor Sean Drew said he believes that governing parties will be viewed then on the state
of the economy.
“With the exception of Aontú who called it right, I think the parties were unaware of the
public opinion that’s out there, I don’t think that [the referendums] they are an indicator as to
how the General Election will go.”
Councillor Sharon Tolan added that regarding issues such as immigration and housing, “the
No campaign did throw in quite a number of red herrings during the campaign and it [the
campaign] could have been communicated better.


“I’m sure there is a level of frustration out there amongst the public.”
Emer Toibín of Aontú who campaigned for a No vote, was unavailable for comment.
The embarrassing outcome of the Referendums for the Government mean that those in power
will have to listen more closely to the public as the local and European elections loom into
view next June and preparations get underway for the General Election which will probably
take place next February.