THE GOVERNMENT is on course to win the two referendums being held on the same day as the presidential election, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll.
However, a significant part of the electorate is undecided on whether or not to advance more powers to Oireachtas committees to make findings of fact about people, as proposed in one of the referendums.
Massive support exists for the proposed 29th amendment to the Constitution, which provides for a reduction in judicial pay in line with cuts across the public service.
When asked how they would vote on the issue, 88 per cent said they would vote Yes, 4 per cent said they would vote No, 5 per cent were undecided and 3 per cent would not vote.
There is overwhelming support for the proposal across all social classes, with the better-off being slightly more in favour of cutting judges’ pay than people in the poorer categories.
Fine Gael voters are the most strongly in favour, with Labour and Fianna Fáil voters a little less so. The over 65s are the strongest in favour of a Yes, while the youngest 18-to-24 category is the least in favour.
The response to the 30th amendment was not quite as positive.
When asked how they would vote on the proposal to give Oireachtas committees the power to conduct inquiries and make findings of fact about the conduct of individuals, 65 per cent said they would vote Yes, 8 per cent said they would vote No, 23 per cent were undecided and 4 per cent said they would not vote.
Clearly, a considerable amount of ignorance exists concerning the arguments for and against the 30th amendment.
Women are twice as likely as men to say they don’t know how they will vote on the issue. This is the same pattern that emerged in the past on referendums about EU treaties.
In Munster and Connacht-Ulster, voters are markedly more in favour of the proposal than those in Dublin and the rest of Leinster. Younger voters are more likely to be undecided than their elders.
Fine Gael voters are the most strongly in favour, followed by Labour and Fianna Fáil. Sinn Féin supporters are the least enthusiastic about the amendment.
Some politicians and lawyers have expressed reservations about the powers being given to committees. But there has been no substantive public debate on the issue to date.