Giving the campaign ‘The X Factor’

The Taoiseach tried to inject some life into one of the dullest referendum campaigns in recent memory by comparing it to The X Factor.

But as that show is now on the slide and beset with allegations of vote-rigging, it may not have been the best analogy.

“The right thing to do is to vote X beside yes. This is The X Factor that is going to protect and provide opportunities for so many children in the time ahead,” Enda Kenny beamed while holding up a giant letter Y in a photo call at the Dáil.

And a different kind of giant why hung over the no campaign gathering a few streets away — but in their case it seemed to be “Why are we even bothering?”

It appears to be called the no campaign because they have no hope of winning — a fact they alluded to when they acknowledged it would take “a miracle” to overturn the cross-party consensus on the issue.

And that pan-Oireachtas coming together saw Dáil rivals suspend hostilities so they could all stand around with the Taoiseach holding Y-E-S letters like the Village People attempting to perform YMCA — but without the lurid costumes.

Though, thankfully, Mr Kenny, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, and Sinn Féin’s Caoimghín Ó Caoláin did not attempt to replicate the PR disaster of the pro-treaty side in the last referendum by contorting themselves into human versions of the letters.

The forced mateyness made all involved a bit awkward and the unlikely coalition split up as soon as they could — which may, or may not, prove a fitting metaphor for the tension- tinged Government.

Health Minister James Reilly was notable by his absence — which was perhaps just as well given his ability to rub almost everyone up the wrong way.

The X Factor has hit such a slump there is talk of bringing back its Mr Nasty, Simon Cowell — but clearly, no one could risk Dr Reilly performing a similar trick for the lack- lustre referendum campaign.

Labour certainly believes the abrasive minister was nasty to Roisín Shortall, and the doctor outdid himself this week by offending hepatitis C and HIV sufferers infected by contaminated medical supplies by insisting changes were overdue at the tribunal handling compensation claims because it needed “new blood”.

He has so far ignored demands from support groups that he apologise for the unfortunate remark — so keeping him away from attempting to win hearts and minds on the children’s referendum is probably wise. He appears to be Dr No-No for the yes side.