Leo Varadkar: ‘Am I woke? I don’t think so. What is woke?’
POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT IN WASHINGTON DC TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar last night denied he was ‘woke’ as the Coalition continues to deal with the fallout of the loss of the two referendums last week – a result that dominated the political agenda all week.
Speaking in Washington DC last night, Mr Varadkar rejected the analysis put forward by Michael McDowell and others that the Government was focusing too much on ‘woke’ issues instead of bread-and-butter politics.
He said: ‘No, I think people considered the proposition that was put to them, listened to the arguments and decided to vote against it. It wouldn’t read across anything else.’
Asked if he considered himself woke, the Taoiseach said: ‘I don’t think so. But I’ve never really been fully sure what “woke” and “anti-woke” mean. Like, people who say they’re anti-woke just seem to be against whatever new idea or new concept it is... but no, is the short answer.’
Earlier in the week, the Taoiseach also rejected the idea that there was a ‘liberal bubble’ in Leinster House, with all the major Dáil parties and most of the Seanad backing
‘In their wisdom, they rejected them’
a referendum rejected by 70% of the people.
He said: ‘I honestly don’t think so. I think that these are particular referendums. And the public assessed the proposals put in front of them and they decided in their wisdom to reject them. We accept that and we will respect it in full.’
He said the other referendums were different.
‘I think a lot of people in fact – when it came to the repeal of the Eighth Amendment or the marriage equality referendum – a lot of TDs and senators I think were surprised about how big a margin we had for a Yes vote. A lot were surprised that their own constituencies in fact voted Yes, when they expected them not to.
‘In those propositions – and they were liberal propositions – it was very clear to the public as to what would change if people voted Yes.’
He said that it was therefore clear as to why those referendums were needed. He added: ‘I think we failed to explain to people in these referendums what would actually change in their lives and the lives of their family and friends, and that’s crucially why I think people voted against.’
‘I don’t think for a second it was a vote against gender equality or carers or disability. Nor, I think, does anyone.’
Mr Varadkar’s Government has come under fire this week after the release of internal files that suggested the wording of the Care amendment had been chosen to ‘avoid a concrete and mandatory obligation’ on the State.
The revelation of the Department of Finance records to the Irish Times through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request led No campaigner Senator Michael McDowell to accuse the Coalition of misleading voters before the Care and the Family referendums – a charge rejected by Equality Minister Roderic O’Gorman.
Ministers insisted the referendum wording did not have tax or immigration implications. But FOI files showed officials considering tax issues and, crucially, legal advice that said non-marital family rights ‘in childcare, immigration and social welfare’ would have greater weight.
In the files, officials said the wording of the Family referendum could create uncertainty because of the role foreseen for judges.
Early plans – which were not pursued by the Government – for the Oireachtas to retain the power to define the new concept of family in law, were praised in the files.
‘A failure to do this would leave it to the courts to determine the scope and limits of the family, with the result that the Government and the public would not have a clear understanding of, or political influence upon, the definition from one case to the next,’ said a note to the Cabinet social policy committee.
Mr McDowell said this week that people were misled: ‘Government spokespersons consistently misrepresented the substance of the legal advice that they were receiving from the AG and elsewhere [including apparently outside counsel],’ he said.
The Family referendum fell with a 67.69% No vote; the Care referendum had an even higher 73.93 No majority.
They voted No after campaigning for Yes? I thought I got rid of all the snakes in Ireland.