Referendum money should have gone to help children
THE referendum results have given the Government parties a slap across the jowls with a wet fish, and the main opposition parties have not covered themselves in glory either.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar looked a bit spooked giving his losers’ speech when it became apparent that the No vote was way out in front.
Micheál Martin fared no better but took the scenic route when questioned on why the Government message did not get through to the voters.
The Tánaiste blamed a myriad reasons without accepting any responsibility for the slap in the face the Government leaders got for losing touch with the electorate’s concerns.
The opposition parties of Sinn Féin, Labour, and the Social Democrats failed to sense the feeling on the ground that people were more vigilant because they didn’t really, if the truth be told, have a bull’s notion what it was about, so took the wise option of saying a polite No Thanks.
Attempting to insert wording like ‘strive’, ‘reasonable’ and ‘durable relationship’ into the Constitution is a measure of codology that gave Michael McDowell, a seasoned barrister and former justice minister, a good reason to champion a No vote, as did Senator Tom Clonan who argued about the confusion that would reign if the referendum passed. Aontú leader
Peadar Tóibín was also very assertive in his reasoning for championing a No vote.
If something is not broken, why fix it? Is it because we are so far along the politically correct road that if you offend someone by challenging their narrative you could find yourself up in court for hurting their feelings?
This referendum wasn’t wanted or needed and the money spent on it could have been used to fund operations for children with serous spinal deformities.
It could have been used to fund the provision of buses for ferrying cancer patients to hospital for treatment and to pay for their families to stay in B&Bs.
JAMES WOODS, Gortahork, Co. Donegal.