‘I shouldn’t have done it’ – Chambers ‘regrets’ canvassing for Yes/Yes vote
LISA Chambers – who publicly revealed she voted No/No in the Family and Care referendums – has said she now ‘regrets’ campaigning for a Yes/Yes vote.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1 yesterday, the Fianna Fáil senator said she did not regret the way she voted, but admitted: ‘I do regret going on that one canvass and I shouldn’t have done it.’
She said: ‘I voted with my gut… I wish I hadn’t gone on that canvass… because I wasn’t sure of the questions. I shouldn’t have done it if I wasn’t 100% behind both questions, and I had reservations, but the text went out and you do feel as a party member you’re supposed to give a hand. I’m not saying I’m perfect, and you make mistakes and you do things you regret and wish you’d done differently.’
The Family amendment, which proposed extending the meaning of family to include ‘durable’ relationships, was rejected by 67.7% of voters, with 32.3% in favour. The Care referendum, which proposed deleting the references to a woman’s duties in the home, was defeated by 73.9% to 26.1%.
Ms Chambers was pictured canvassing for a Yes vote in both ballots despite claiming not to have been involved in her party’s campaign.
‘It wasn’t my intention to mislead people and I hadn’t intended to make a big statement,’ she said. ‘I was on a radio show interview and it came up and I answered... I know that’s not going to make people happy about that but, you know, I went out on that one canvass, and then I listened to the debate.’
Earlier this month Ms Chambers told the Mail she did not regret going on the canvass.