Ministers campaign for Yes in ‘low-key’ campaign

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said he believes the Yes campaign is deliberately "low key" so to connect with voters.

We think it's going well. It's a low key campaign, but that's our intention," he said in Limerick on Saturday. "Obviously, a lot of people want to think carefully about what they do . . . I'm strongly advocating a Yes vote."

“In particular, I’m asking people of good will to come out and vote (yes) as well.”

Asked about the No stance of the Church, Mr Noonan said: “Everybody is entitled to say what they think in this campaign. I think it’s a very polite campaign so far.”

“I think the Church, and members of the church, and priests, and every citizen, has the right to free speech and the right to take a view on this.”

“There are a lot of genuine people on both sides, but I’m advocating a Yes vote,” he added.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Simon Coveney said: "For far far too long, in my view, we have essentially segregated gay people, treated them differently, not allowed them to partake in the institution of marriage, like everybody else, and I think that's wrong."

“This isn’t about some of the other things, that I think leaders in the No campaign are trying to spook people by; it’s not about surrogacy, it’s not about adoption, it’s not about fostering or guardianship – those issues are dealt with in law,” he added.

Minister Noonan said he was “surprised” the Conservatives gained a majority vote in the British general election.

“It’s not our country, it’s not our business...(but), I thought there would be a Conservative (vote) increase at the very end, and that happened in John Major’s time in the UK as well.”

“I was surprised (the Conservatives) got an overall majority but I wasn’t surprised that they’re back in government.”

Both ministers said they were in favour of public service pay rises.

The Finance Minister said the government’s economic Spring Statement had budgeted for both investment in essential services as well as pay rises for the public sector.

“We brought out the Spring Statement and we allocated money for tax relief in the next budget for increased spending and essential services in the budget, and there is money for pay (rises) as well,” Mr Noonan added.

Minister Coveney said: “Undoubtedly the public sector is right to expect, as the economy grows, that they would see a reward financially, given the role they have played in rebuilding the economy in the last number of years.”