Voters will be guided by fact rather than fear

Many of the reasons put forward to vote no have been worrying at best and downright terrifying at worst, says Ashley Balbirnie

The Yes for Cchildren campaign has travelled the country in our multi-coloured campaign bus, visiting 42 locations across 26 counties. From Maynooth, Midleton, and Tralee to Monaghan, Boyle, and Letterkenny, with many more in between, we saw the campaign develop from four weeks ago, when there was almost total ignorance about the referendum itself, never mind the big issues.

The value of this exercise has been immeasurable. The opportunity to speak with people in their communities, towns, and cities has yielded great discussion, debate, and, above all, awareness-raising. It also provided insight into the commitment of people in relation to child protection and valuing childhood.