Tánaiste Joan Burton has admitted she is “nervous” about the possibility of a low turnout in next Friday’s marriage referendum affecting the chances of a Yes vote.
Canvassing on Friday afternoon in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, Ms Burton said she had encountered an “astonishingly positive” response to the Government’s campaign for same sex marriage but said turnout in referendums has been low in the past.
“I’ve been right around the country now, north, south, east and west supporting the referendum, supporting Yes to equality and supporting the Labour Party campaign and I get a sense of a huge amount of support for the principle of equality and for the idea that gay and lesbian people should have full equality in Ireland,” Ms Burton said.
“What I’m a bit nervous about is that, having said that, people mightn’t actually commit to coming out to vote in a way that’s essential to carry the referendum.”
Turnout for referendums in Ireland is traditonally about one-third lower than that for general elections, she said, but added it was “brilliant” that many people have recently signed up to vote for the first time.
The Labour Party is now encouraging people on the Yes side to contact seven like-minded people in the seven remaining days of the campaign, “and make sure that they get out to vote,” Ms Burton said.
“I’m particularly anxious to say to young people, no matter how much they’re on social media campaigning in favour of the referendum, the really fashionable place to be, will be next Friday in a polling station, voting yes for equality.”
Most of the campaigning, on both sides, has been “respectful,” she said, and everyone has the right to cast their ballot whatever way they think is in the country’s best interests.
“Ireland is a very diverse, inclusive society now and what has really impressed me is, whether it’s on the street in Ennis last weekend or Nenagh today or whether it’s Blanchardstown, people have been astonishingly positive and it’s all been based on stories. Their own story, their son or daughter’s story, their grandson’s story, their granddaughter’s story and they want their children to be in an Ireland that respects equality but also as a society we cherish marriage so much that that option is open to all of our citizens.”
The Tánaiste was in Nenagh canvassing with members of the Labour Party including her deputy leader and Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly who is from the nearby village of Portroe.
He was at Yes campaign launches in Nenagh, Clonmel and Roscrea and said the campaign is “going very well in Tipperary” and he has found a positive response from “the older generation,” many of whom have been convinced by their younger family members.
“The issue is that we need to get people out to vote. Everything we have to do has be based around getting as many people out to vote as possible,” he said.
