Tánaiste denies claims Government was playing to 'woke gallery' with referendums

Fianna Fáil TD Willie O'Dea said that the part needed 'to go back to basics', including abandoning the Hate Speech Bill and instead focusing on housing, health, law and order

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he accepted the will of the people, but conceded that there were 'certainly lessons' to reflect on from the outcome. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he does not accept that the result of the referendums was the public sending a message to Government, but admitted the Coalition may have “overestimated” public support.

The political fallout continues within coalition parties over the disastrous result for the Government who campaigned for a yes-yes vote on changes to the Constitution around family and care.

Mr Martin told reporters in Limerick that he “fully accepts” the outcome of the two referendums.

He also played down claims by his Fianna Fáil colleague, Willie O’Dea, who accused the party of playing to the “woke gallery”.

The Tánaiste said that, while it would be worth reflecting on the events, he believes there “may be” some over-reacting over interpreting the defeat for the Government’s proposals.

Mr O’Dea had said on social media that the party needed “to get back to basics”, including abandoning the Hate Speech Bill and instead focus on housing, health, and law and order.

Mr Martin said he accepted the will of the people and he did not look at the results of the twin referendums as a focus for blame, as "it's the people who decide and you accept it".

He said the proposal to change the Constitution has been on the table since 1996, when a constitutional convention proposed that the article pertaining to women in the home be changed, and again in 2001, followed by an Oireachtas committee in 2013 and 2021. 

Mr Martin said it has been on the agenda for "a long, long time" and, as a Government, they put it to the people who in turn told them they were happy with the existing provisions of the Constitution, or certainly did not accept the provisions being put before them.

He conceded there were 'certainly lessons' to reflect on following the outcome, but he was 'comfortable with the people making a decision'.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil senator Lisa Chambers has said she voted no in both referendums, having taken issue with the wording of the proposed amendments.

She told RTÉ's Drivetime that she did not tell Fianna Fáil leader Mícheál Martin her position and did not engage in the campaign, as she was not sure which way she was going to vote.

On the Care referendum, she said that she could never have supported the word "mother" being taken out of the Constitution.

She said the Government did its best to deal with concerns raised, but the Attorney General's advice did not seem in line with answers given by Government ministers, adding that people were genuinely unsure.

Mr O'Dea said that the referendums were ill-considered and badly explained, and that there was confusion — but not the type of confusion that people are suggesting existed.

There has also been frustration among politicians in Fine Gael, with some saying the Taoiseach was the one “pushing” for these referendums.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has rowed back on comments made by leader Mary Lou McDonald in which she said her party would re-run the referendums if they did not pass.

However, speaking to Newstalk, Matt Carthy TD said: “I can tell you, we will not be re-running this referendum at any stage in the next Government.”