Irish citizens voted against both family and care referendums on Friday 8 March. The result of the Care referendum is the biggest defeat in Irish referendum history according to Ireland Votes.

Votes from all 39 constituencies were published shortly after 9pm yesterday, following 12 hours of counting votes.

Minister for Equality Roderic O’Gorman said he was “extremely disappointed” that the Government had not succeeded in making the case for the constitutional changes.

For the Family amendment – which sought to recognise the family outside of marriage and define “durable relationships” – 67.7 per cent per cent voted ‘No’. Dún Laoghaire was the only constituency that voted in favour of the amendment.

The Care amendment – which proposed to replace language around “women in the home” with language recognising care within families – saw 74 per cent vote ‘No’.

Voter turnout

In Galway East, results on the Family amendment were very clear with 72 per cent voting ‘No’. The Care amendment was also clearly rejected, with almost 78 per cent voting ‘No’. A total of 70,758 voters in Galway East participated in the referendum, making up a voter turnout of just over 40 per cent.

In Galway West, voter turnout was almost 42 per cent. Voters in Galway West voted more in favour of the referendums – but the majority still voted against. 66 per cent voted against the Family Referendum. For the Care Referendum, 74 per cent voted ‘No’.

Polling stations across the country closed at 10pm on Friday. Many regions reported quiet polling stations during the day, with voter participation increasing slightly in the evening hours.

Dublin’s voter turnout was just under 25 per cent at 6pm. Later in the evening, Wicklow-Arklow reported around 42 per cent. Galway reported a voter turnout between 29 and 41 per cent at 8.30pm. Final results showed a national voter turnout of 44.4 per cent for both amendments.

The 2015 referendum on same sex marriage had a turnout of 60.5 per cent; The referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment on abortion reported a 64.1 per cent voter turnout.

Criticising voices

In the weeks leading up to the referendums, all main political parties campaigned for a Yes/Yes vote. With a lower voter turnout than any other referendum in previous years, the Government is now being criticised by both referendum supporters and opposing parties for its campaign strategy.

At Dublin Castle yesterday, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said the referendums results are a “direct consequence of a rushed and confused campaign”. 

“The low voter turnout yesterday, and the resounding ‘no’ result is due to the Government’s failure to properly engage with the public from the outset of this shambolic referendum campaign,” she said.

Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell spoke at the Limerick Count Centre prior to an official result. Even the early hours of counting votes showed predictions leaning towards a No/No result. “In government we will have to reflect on the outcome and see why people vote No,” Minister O’Donnell said.

As the lead on the referendums, Minister O’Gorman is facing backlash, with calls from opposition TDs to step down from his position. 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has come to his defense publically.“I have full confidence in [O’Gorman], as have the Government,” he said. 

Disappointment vs. triumph

The National Women’s Council (NWC), which campaigned for a Yes/Yes vote, expressed their “deep disappointment” in a statement on their website last night. 

“While the reasons for this are complex, the result is a clear wakeup call that we cannot be complacent about equality and women’s rights”, the statement said. Orla O’Connor, Director of the NWC said the organisation was going to reflect on the vote. 

She said the vote in the family referendums meant “the families of over 40 per cent of children born outside of marriage and the over one million people who are part of unmarried families are still not recognised in our Constitution”.

Meanwhile, politicians and advocates for the No/No campaign cheered in Dublin Castle as the results were announced. Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General Michael McDowell was joined by Independent councillors and senators. 

Members of The Countess, an activist group which had organised a march against the referendums in early February, were also present.