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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Marriage referendum misinformation

Summary

Senator Norris rejects claims that the marriage referendum concerns children or adoption, criticises misinformation from the No campaign, and welcomes examination changes facilitating student voting.

David P.B. Norris Senator David Norris Independent

Last night we passed the Children and Family Relationships Bill which should put an end to the idea canvassed by the "No" side that the referendum deals with children. That business has been taken care of and is done and dusted.

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No more questions.

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David P.B. Norris Senator David Norris Independent

There can be plenty of questions.

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I thank the Senator.

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David P.B. Norris Senator David Norris Independent

No one ever stopped the Senator, but the referendum is about one thing only. The issues of children and adoption have been dealt with. As it is utterly dishonest to suggest children will in any way be affected by it, the Senator should stop doing it. I am concerned by the misinformation. Some nasty material is being circulated, about which I will speak on another occasion. It is coming from the "No" side and I have come across nothing like it from the "Yes" side. I very much welcome the fact that DCU has changed the time of its examinations to facilitate students who wish to vote in the referendum. I appeal to the provost of Trinity College Dublin and the heads of the other universities and technical colleges to do the same because this mostly concerns young people who should be facilitated in every way to vote. I wonder if the Cathaoirleach will consider writing to the heads of the universities to ask them if they will consider changing the dates of examinations to facilitate voting in this important referendum. I am very concerned that, owing to apathy and misinformation, the referendum could easily be lost. That is what I am hearing on the ground, not the 74% figure in The Irish Times survey, which is very soft.

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