Wednesday 22 May, 2013
THERE ARE STILL a few hours left to cast your vote in the Children’s Referendum.
Though a low turnout is predicted, people still have until 10pm to have their say on the proposed changes to the constitution. Though stations have been open since 9am, as of lunchtime turnout was as low as 2 per cent in some counties.
But with the polls due to close in a number of hours, there is still time for that to change.
If you are heading to the polls, here’s our voting checklist.
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Myself and my sister voted for the first time today :)
There will be people complaining about the outcome, be it yes or no…Those who will be complaining will be the ones who could ‘t bother in voting…If you don’t vote you have no right to complain.
Dont think you really should comment on this Sean!! You are typical of what is wrong with this Country “Doesnt effect me…So why bother”
The funny thing is that if I’d came on here and said I had voted “Yes”, I’d have the RedThumb Bandwagon going nuts too.
If your opinion differs from the TheJournal.ie anti-government circlejerk, you’re shouted down and given the red thumb en mass and yet you guys all hilariously think you’re individuals and anti-”sheeple”.
Stay classy folks.
@Rory – Just wait until the result comes back as a “Yes” and the people here collectively punch their monitors, curse everyone who didn’t vote in line with them and spout a bunch of scarey sounding stuff about how we’re all doomed.
It’ll be glorious.
Oh except now they’ll be demanding that it be challenged in the courts, because of course everyone but them are sheep who listen to everything they’re told and only voted yes because they were told to, while these geniuses voted against it because of their superior intellect.
And when that court action fails, watch the conspiracies about the judge’s relationship with the government.
Grab the popcorn, we’re in for a good one!
I just find it comical that everyone had an opinion on this topic and were whinging whinging whinging about how the government are corrupt and give no power to the people blah blah blah….. But then when their opinion matters like this referendum… Only 30% turn up to vote and the ones that didn’t will be the first ones to give out about the result. I was ignorant to not read the info but to be honest I voted yes because any opinion that is shared by the uneducated and propaganda followers can’t be a good one :-) it’ll be an interesting couple of days though, I’ll have my recliner and popcorn at the ready.
Seán are you male or female? I ask that because Seán is generally a boys name and Nà Bhriain would indicate that you are female
@ Sean. Your first statement directed at Kevin, I should say the same to you. nobody wants to hear you rant on about why you didn’t vote… If u have no interest then why bother even comment… You haven’t a clue!
@Audrey – The question asked was have the readers cast their vote on the Children’s Referendum. Not how you voted in it, if you enjoyed voting in it, it was asking did you go and vote. I answered and gave reasoning for having given my negative answer to the question at hand.
Perhaps you should read the question being asked and contemplate a reply than simply attacking those expressing their involvement with the question?
Weird sean?i just noticed a comment of yours regarding another story on the journal this eve (the bieber gomez one) questioning why someone was ranting about something he had no interest in in the first place? Hmmmmmm…..
well enlighten me sean as to why you felt it appropriate to call one person out for ranting over something they deemed unimportant..but yet here you are doing exactly the same thing. If you only wanted to let people know that you were not casting your vote, surely youve done that in abundance…
It’s a national shame that the turnout was so low, yes or no to have no say at all is such a waste, if you didn’t vote you can no longer sit on the sidelines moaning about the church and state, people had a chance here and didn’t take it.
Hey Sean!!! Getting personal about my picture really says more about you, Go and put your own picture up you complete sexist fool
Sexism? Where was the sexism?
All I said was that I’m not surprised that someone who is involved with children or has a child is angry with someone who expresses no interest in children. That’s not sexist, unless you think being involved with kids or being a parent is a female only thing?
If you do, I have some alarming information for you: It’s not. Men are parents and men are involved with children also.
this is nothing more than a smokescreen by the clowns in the cabinet to try and divert the public eye away from more pressing issues, but of course they made a balls of it as usual, all they did was call attention to how inept they were, i tell you one thing, i wouldnt like to be child depending on care from a state run by these morons
Voted. Not sure I should have as I’m Scottish but used the polling card I was sent anyway.
Very low turn out but probable comfortable “yes” majority? 25% to 15%… Shame about the lack of interest from general public.
@Graham – They should have taken the opportunity and ran a few more proposals through today. I don’t understand why we only had one proposal on the table for this referendum.
It would have gotten more people out voting and a lot more accomplished. Bit of a shame really but I’m looking forward to the next referendum on something a bit more interesting such as getting rid of the Seanad in 2016.
While I’m confident this will be a yes vote, the sad thing about the low turnout is that we’ve lost the argument for Saturday voting in future elections & referendums.
They really should bring in postal voting or online voting (nobody mention the e-voting ok, not the same thing)
Sean you say you have no interest in children or other people’s children but yet roll on the abortion referendum? Abortion is related to children, unborn children??? so why vote in that referendum and not this?? Also I feel Kevin answered the question, it explains he voted (like the question asked) and he shared his vote
My wife was the first to vote down our way today! I was second! No all the way! The constitution as is is unambiguous and is fine the way it is, it’s a pity the state haven’t a clue how to use the powers that they already have to protect the children in their care!
Sean..i didnt call you a troll,or resort to any form of personal insults in my posts (unlike you). If you did make any kind of valid points in your comments regarding this article,they were totally overshadowed by the terrible ways you went about it. Also you failed to address my earlier point in any meaningful way. You didnt see the referendum as being important enough to vote in,yet you spent all evening commenting on it?and you say you dont care about children,yet in a previous post from an unrelated article you defended justin bieber and his ex for inspiring children all over the world?inconsistent much….?
@EP – Yes, commenting on it from the comfort of my home, in front of a blazing fire and having a very enjoyable evening with those I love. Not studying material to do with a referendum I have no interest in, driving down to the local polling centre using my money on petrol and casting a vote on something whose outcome I really don’t care about. The only outcome I’m in anyway interested in is a “Yes” and that’s purely to see the reaction on here.
Also, yet again, the two things you’re mentioning have nothing to do with each other. They’re two totally different things and I’m sorry you don’t understand why, but given that you don’t, I don’t think there’s much point in explaining it to you. Casual hint though: It doesn’t matter what age Bieber or indeed his fans are. Their age or status (child/adult) had absolutely nothing to do with it. I’m not going to bother explaining any further than that, the differences should be obvious by then.
Ridiculous. You started on here by pulling people up for stating what exactly their vote was, and youre right,the article headline did not ask that, nor did it ask for your reasons as to why you did or did not vote. You called people out in your other comments on the bieber story for commenting on something they found unimportant. You said you had no interest in the referendum, it wasnt important, but continued your ranting here. You also suggested that people who voted were sheep and suggested same about people commenting here, yet you stated your primary reason for not voting was due to your reading of the opinions of well regarded journalists in the times? You shouldnt try to explain yourself anymore, like i said before, any validity to any of the points you made is practically void at this stage.
@EP – Actually have a proper look and you’ll note it has mainly been me defending myself from attacks from people foaming at the mouth for me daring to have an opinion or take an action that didn’t align with theirs.
I also never, ever suggested that people who voted were sheep. The fact that you got that from what I actually did say says enough about your level of reading comprehension to know better now than to reply to you in future.
What nonsense.
Sean you started off by attacking Kevin because he said what he voted…. You got all serious saying that’s not what the questions asked! So what! The question didn’t ask you to rant on about why you don’t like this referendum! Seriously you went on to say you have no interest in children (which is your own right) but don’t go talking about abortion and Pop starts inspiring children because hey what do u care about children. Also you mightn’t have any children now but what if you or some close family members go on to have children?? This referendum will effect you then and it be too late to vote.
Yeah Sean I have a father and am fully aware, Why dont you pop over to one of the state run websites or news outlets and hear all you want to hear
The State is going to intervene when a child is being abused. What are they going to do; send the children to places like Letterfrack or Artane? God preserve us from the actions of Irish governments re. children. History has a habit of repeating itself.
The “I voted” stickers given out in the US is a great idea, we should all campaign to have same done here
Why the f**k have ye people had a swipe at Sean. If the man isn’t interested he’s on a par with about 70% of the electorate. Not once in any of his comments has he touched the definition of a troll but yet the insult is thrown at him. Ye lot have just proven what he has said about this site to be bang on. Red thumb away I just thought someone should defend the voice that isn’t just saying baaaaaaaa
@Anthony – Thanks for the support. It seems that unless you agree with the hivemind, you’re the worst person out there. I’ve been called a “troll”, “immature”, “sad” and more, have had it stated that I have mental problems, that my opinion is worthless, that I shouldn’t be posting etc. and all for what, going against the flow? Stating what a lot of people, as can be witnessed by the terrible turnout, are thinking?
You leave this topic and move to another and you find that unless you’re explicitly ranting about the government, the EU or just the established order, then you’re a “sheep” or worse. Indeed, unless you are vocally anti-everything you’re the enemy, or so it appears.
It’s an odd community to say the least. Very cliquey or a circlejerk as I prefer to call it but unlike other cliques they’re extremely aggressive towards anyone who doesn’t explicitly support their views. And then the same people have the gall to call others sheep.
You can only laugh at it though. This referendum will go through and you’ll see people here when the result is announced being extremely abusive about the people with different views to them, calling everyone who didn’t vote in line with them “sheeple” and ranting about how the country is on the brink of its apocalypse.
The only thing you can almost be 100% sure of on TheJournal is that the views of the majority here are the views of the minority in society, as is proven by the result of every vote held since the site appeared and even before, as all these people rant on Boards.ie when they’re not ranting here.
Anyway, thanks again for the support. I’ll go to the leaba with a smile on my face tonight while the grumps here will go down cursing everyone who disagrees with them, and that thought alone makes reading here worth it.
This referendum is the most important development for children in the history of the State:
It is about making sure that children are explicitly recognised in the highest law of the land, our Constitution.
It puts the emphasis on better support to families so children can stay with them; being taken into care should be a last resort.
· It will ensure that children are listened to on judicial decisions that affect them.
· It will ensure that the Courts take the ‘best interests’ of the child into account when making decisions about children.
· It will ensure all children are protected equally irrespective of their parents marital status.
· It will enable children abandoned by their parents in long term foster care can be adopted by their foster family.
Referendums by their nature cause uncertainty and confusion. For this reason we must mobilise a Yes vote.
The misinformation surrounding this referendum is not helping because ultimately this vote is about valuing and protecting children.
It will take 2 mins to read your Ref Commission booklet. Please do. Please vote.
By recognising children as individuals, we strengthen the ability of parents to protect their children’s rights.
Emma,
You realise you’re on TheJournal.ie, yes? The national hub of the vocal minority of chest beating armchair warriors who will never, ever cast a positive light on anything that any government bring up? The community lead and trolled by a staff who post whatever negative news about the country they can find in order to wind the aforementioned people up?
When you come here and say “Vote Yes” on anything a government puts before them, you might as well be saying “Vote Yes on Killing Children” as that’s how it’s taken, except some may support the latter proposal!
Emma, the passage you quote comes from the following paragraph:
In exceptional cases, where the parents, regardless of their marital status, fail in their duty towards their children to such extent that the safety or welfare of any of their children is likely to be prejudicially affected, the State as guardian of the common good shall, by proportionate means as provided by law, endeavour to supply the place of the parents, but always with due regard for the natural and imprescriptible rights of the child.
The word appropriate is proposed to be changed to proportionate but in the context of the above, as in relation to removing children, not in strengthening supports to families as you are suggesting.
The wording is too vague in my option which leaves it open to interpretation. This week the Supreme Court overturned a High Court Ruling which said there was nothing wrong with the government’s leaflets and website. Will families have the money to take cases to the Supreme Courts or are we to presume that this will definitely only happen to people that deserve it.
Our past and as of last Thursday our present show otherwise.
sean is correct in his stance….he has that right!! if I was home I’d be voting no because I have my own opinion on the matter
put a tic instead of an x will my vote be counted:(
@EP – What has you upset? The turnout higher than you hoped?
The Irish Times is reporting that the final turnout was roughly 32%. Historical low is 28.6%.
Larry, it will not be counted, but your household tax still has to pain.
Have I cast my vote on the Children’s Referendum? No. Will I cast my vote on the Children’s Referendum? No.
I have absolutely no interest in the proposal, I don’t believe in voting without having read up what is being proposed and as I’ve no interest in this I did no reading and therefore shall not be voting.
In a way I do hope it goes through as anything that reiterates the fact that they moaners and nay-sayers are a minority in this country is a good thing. I wasn’t going to ignorantly vote in favour of it with the aim of accomplishing that though, despite it being as solid a reason to vote as many held by a significant proportion of TheJournal.ie commentators.
Here’s to the next one, hopefully it’s a bit more relevant!
Surely, Is it not a small bit ignorant to have information and not read and use that as justification not to vote?
120 people died in Syria fighting for enfranchisement and democracy. To paraphrase Suu Kyi, ‘When we use our liberty we promote theirs’.
@Jim – I have no interest or care about children nor things that concern them. That is the primary factor of my disinterest.
@Sean – Everyone has access to the same information I do, yet most are seemingly not reading it and are instead going out and voting based on how they feel about the government or similar. I’m doing far less damage in abstaining than they are in turning up and voting on a proposal based on how the feel about something entirely irrelevant.
@Mark – I’ve no responsibility to go and vote. However, if I did, I’d have an equal responsibility to know what it is I’m voting on, which is something that an overwhelming majority on both sides don’t bother with.
@Sean. Your not everyone else. You had the information and you seem to be civically engaged. Its no excuse to say other people weren’t going to vote in good faith – to justify not voting.
I honestly believe if you dont agree on principle with either side of a proposal then you go and spoil your ballot. At least you are reenforcing the democratic principle which underpins our country.
@Sean – I may have had the information available, as everyone did, reading it is another matter! It’s not that I agree or disagree with either side, I simply don’t care, it doesn’t interest me.
Roll on the Seanad referendum, marijuana referendum, abortion referendum or indeed ANYTHING else that is relevant to the country at the moment.
I think its a bit disingenuous to think that this referendum isnt relevant considering its essentially about intervening where a child is being abused. Considering the publication of so.many reports about abuse of children.
If you have still have time please go vote. Itll take less than 30 minutes to understand the proposal.
@Sean – One of my primary reasons for not bothering to vote is that I’ve read on the Irish Times from well regarded people that there’s actually no need for this referendum, that everything it contains already exists in Irish legislation and isn’t being enforced. If true then I don’t think this referendum will make much of a difference.
With regards to time remaining, I’m afraid not. Dog has to be walked, dinner must be obtained and consumed…tv must be watched…so indeed, let’s just look forward to the next one starting now.
Sean, I have to say I’m saddened by your opinion that you don’t care about children, mainly because I do care about them. I care because I was one, I have some, I’m related to some but also because they are the future of our country. They are our future voters law makers, carers etc. So how they’re treated or brought up is of considerable importance to all of us. Having said that, I am glad that you didn’t vote if you don’t feel well enough informed / interested, as there are far too many people using their vote as a grudge vote rather than an informed!
@Niall – Yes, I was a child once … and … ? Just because I was a child, does not mean I have to take an interest in children. Do you understand that? Being a child was kind of out of my control, it wasn’t really my choice. I do, however, have a choice whether or not to involve myself with kids or take an interest in them now and I choose not to. I don’t like children and I especially don’t like today’s parents with their massive entitlement issues.
@Susan – That’s good for you, really, some people’s lives revolve around children and that’s great for them.
I don’t care about children at all though, I genuinely don’t. I never will either but thankfully we won’t have another referendum that concerns them for quite some time. The “you were a child yourself” argument holds absolutely no weight, as mentioned above.
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