IRELAND: Prime Minister Issues Last Minute Plea For Same-Sex Marriage

Via the Guardian:

Ireland’s prime minister, Enda Kenny, has made a final plea for a yes vote in the referendum to legalise gay marriage. The taoiseach told the Irish electorate on Wednesday night: “There is nothing to fear for voting for love and equality.” Kenny made his plea on live television ahead of a broadcasting embargo imposed on all sides of same-sex marriage debate. The republic is the only country in the world where the electorate will decide whether to make gay marriage legal. The country goes to the polls on Friday and the votes will be counted from Saturday morning. Under the Irish electoral rules, there is a ban on statements from all sides of the debate on the country’s airwaves 24 hours before polling stations open. Earlier, at his Fine Gael party’s last press conference of the campaign, Kenny said he had “no intention of becoming a gay icon” over his strong support for a Yes vote. He also rejected suggestions from those opposed to gay marriage that religious schools would be forced to teach about the validity of same-sex marriages.

The above-cited 24-hour statement ban apparently does not apply to social media as both sides have been active on Twitter today. Polls open at 7AM tomorrow (that's 2AM in New York City) and close at 10PM local time. Ireland does not have electronic voting so the result will likely not be known until midday Saturday. If we get any exit polling I'll be posting it here tomorrow night.

Irish PM Enda Kenny: It Will Be Close

RTE reports:

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has joined a number of leading Irish sports people to call for a Yes vote in the upcoming referendum on same-sex marriage. Earlier, Mr Kenny said he believed the referendum result would be a lot closer than the polls indicate. Meanwhile, the group Mothers and Fathers Matter has released new posters in its campaign for a No vote in the referendum on 22 May. The Catholic Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has repeated his call for a No vote in the referendum.

In Lourdes this morning, Dr Martin said that in the coming days the people of Ireland would be asked to vote in a referendum which would change the meaning of marriage and family in the Constitution of Ireland. He said the Bishops of Ireland were clear that they could not support this amendment and they had asked the people of Ireland to reflect and pray very carefully before voting.

Speaking on TV3 today, Mr Kenny said Ireland had gone on a journey from decriminalisation of homosexuality, non-discrimination in the workplace, Civil Partnership Bill, the Child and Family Bill and now a move towards marriage. Mr Kenny described the referendum as a "first in world terms" in that the question was being put towards the electorate. He said the referendum had nothing to do with religious ceremonies or children.

Mothers And Fathers Matter are claiming that people are defacing their posters and bragging about it on social media.

(Tipped by JMG reader Arthur)

Irish Prime Minister: Yes Equality

RELATED: Enda Kenny's official title is "Taoiseach" Wikipedia: "The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament), and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil. The current Taoiseach is Enda Kenny, TD, who was appointed on 9 March 2011. The word means 'chief' in the Irish language."

IRELAND: Prime Minister Visits Gay Bar

Via the Irish Times:

“So there’s An Taoiseach in Pantibar,” a post on the Dublin gay bar’s Facebook page reads over a picture of Enda Kenny who visited the bar last night. “It’s a changed world in many ways.” This was the reaction to the visit by Rory O’Neill, the entertainer and gay rights activist also known as Panti Bliss, who owns the bar where the Taoiseach met with members of the Fine Gael LGBT group during a pre-Christmas get-together. A tweet by Irish Times columnist Una Mullally summed up one Pantibar-goer’s reaction: “Bless,” he said when it was pointed out to him that one of the “suits” in the establishment was in fact the leader of the country. However the online reaction to a photo posted on the bar’s Facebook page showing the Taoiseach pictured with TD Jerry Buttimer, Brian Sheehan of GLEN, and Minister for Children James Reilly was decidedly less subdued and included no small amount of cynicism. “He’s obviously trying to win the pink vote,” one post read. 

Ireland's public referendum on same-sex marriage will take place in May and is expected to pass with overwhelming support. (Tipped by JMG reader Gerard)