Fears anti-water charge sentiment may trigger ‘No’ vote on same-sex marriage

The referendum on same-sex marriage could be lost because of the level of anti-politician feeling over water charges, a Government Minister has warned.

Minister of State for Equality Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said he was “worried” the referendum, to be held in May, could be lost because of low voter turnout and because the electorate wanted to express anger with the whole political system.

He said the fact campaigners would be calling to people’s homes seeking a Yes vote, just around the same time householders began receiving water bills, at the start of April, was “worrying”.

“I think when those bills start arriving, and then campaigners come to their doors, well I think people might tell us where to go, tell us ‘Give me a referendum on water first and I’ll vote on that.’ The level of antagonism that has been whipped up about politics in general could lead to people voting against a very genuine proposition to do with equality and human rights,” he said.

Speaking to The Irish Times he said: "I would appeal to people that the marriage equality proposal be taken at face value, and would appeal to people to separate that from any negativity they feel towards the Government, politicians and politics."

Asked whether he was worried the proposal, which is a key Labour Party commitment in Government, could be lost, he said: "I am, yes. Politics can be a noble pursuit. There is still a lot yet to be won in this country."

Cheesed-off

Earlier Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin said he understood

why people were “cheesed-off” about water charges. He acknowledged the “unprecedented” campaign against water charges but said he believed most people would regard the Irish Water model as a good idea even if they felt they could not afford to pay at present.

“There’s been an unprecedented campaign over this issue . . . I understand that after six years of really difficult impositions on the Irish people as we have rebuilt a broken economy, this is almost the last residual thing that people have said ‘I’m cheesed-off about’, and I understand that,” Mr Howlin said.

Irish Water said the latest figure on registrations was 1.148 million, of whom 906,900 were Irish Water customers.