Local TD calls for respect for personal choices of voters

Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth has admitted partly going against her party’s wishes in the referenda last Friday.

In the wake of a resounding ‘no’ vote to both referenda on care and the family at the weekend, the Bailieborough based TD told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland yesterday (Tuesday) that she voted Yes/No at the polling station despite canvassing for a double yes result.

Deputy Smyth said most of her colleagues felt the results would be close and noted opinion polls had “a much more positive reading than the outcome”.

“I did a little bit of canvassing for Yes/Yes but I voted Yes/No,” she confessed on the national airwaves.

“I listened to some of my colleagues - including Senator Tom Clonan - all of whom speak very passionately on the topic of disability and carers. I felt that those more involved in disability - NGOs, parents of children with disability and carers felt the wording wasn’t strong enough.

“It didn’t represent what they wanted to see in our Constitution and this is why I voted No,” Deputy Smyth offered by way of explanation.

When asked if she felt she had let her party colleagues down by not towing the party line, Deputy Smyth added: “That’s the beauty of democracy; it doesn’t matter whether you’re an elected member or an ordinary citizen, you are being asked a very serious question about changing the Constitution. I listened to the experts on disability and care and I think that people should respect everybody’s ability to vote and their choices in taking that vote.”

The outcome of the referenda was also raised at the March meeting of Cavan County Council on Monday afternoon.

Intelligent people

Fianna Fáil Cllr John Paul Feeley admitted that he rejected both amendments as proposed at the ballot box.

He said the people of Ireland were intelligent and made their decision in respect of that. “The wordings were not what they should have been in the Irish Constitution 1937 - something that has come to earn respect. I think the time has come to start raising issues that really matter to families. The vast majority of reasonable people cast their votes last Friday and that should be it.”

For more coverage from the referenda, see pages 6-9.