Woman loses bid to challenge referendum result

A woman who campaigned against the Children’s Referendum has lost on all grounds her High Court challenge to the constitutionality of laws governing bringing petitions disputing referendum results.

Joanna Jordan, of Glenageary Rd Upper, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, previously secured leave to bring a petition aimed at overturning the ‘yes’ result in the November 2012 referendum, achieved by a majority of 58% to 42% based on a turnout of 33.49%.

She relied on the Supreme Court finding, given two days before the Children’s Referendum in proceedings taken by Mark McCrystal, the Government spend of €1.1m on a one-sided information campaign favouring the referendum amounted to a “clear disregard” of limits imposed by the Constitution. She also relied on Supreme Court decisions, in proceedings brought by former Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna, to the effect the State is prohibited by the Constitution from spending public monies to advocate support for a particular side in a referendum.