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March 27, 2018
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Senator opposed Referendum Bill Murnane O’Connor: ‘problem with wording’ LOCAL Senator Jennifer Murnane O’Connor was one of ten who this week voted against the Bill that needed to be passed in order to allow a referendum on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution to be held. The Bill was debated in the Seanad late into Monday night and it was past 11 p.m. before the vote was called. It was passed by a decisive majority of 35 votes to ten, but the Carlow Senator was one of those on the dissenting side. She was one of 32 Senators who took part in the debate. Despite ultimately voting against the Bill, she said ‘I have no issue with the Referendum – because the Irish people will do the right thing’. She went on to add however that she objected to the exact wording the proposal to go
before the people, and for this reason, she would be voting against the Bill. She noted how she was in a position to do so because Fianna Fáil had decided to give its members a free vote on the issue, meaning they were allowed to vote according to personal feelings rather than having to side with a party viewpoint. Her Oireachtas colleagues from the Carlow/Kilkenny constituency, Bobby Aylward and John McGuinness, had both also voted against the Bill. The passing of the Bill however paved the way for a Referendum to be held. The date has since been set for Friday May 25. Minister for Health, Simon Harris, has appealed for ‘a vigorous but respectful’ debate by both sides in the run-up to voting day.
Margaret Hupalo amongst the dignitries on the viewing stand celebrating her first St. Patrick’s Day parade in her native Carlow after flying over from New Jersey, joined by her niece Isobel Dunne. Lots more pictures inside
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