Referendum Results: Donegal rejects proposed changes to role of woman in home

Changes proposed by the Family Referendum have both been vehemently rejected in Donegal. 

The following results were announced by Returning Officer, County Registrar Geraldine O'Connor shortly after 6.15 pm at the count centre in the Aura Centre, Letterkenny:

Family Referendum

Yes 9,669

No 39,181

The total turnout for the Donegal constituency was 49,363 from an electorate of 123,452, representing approximately 40%  of those eligible to vote. 

There was a marked absence of local representatives throughout the day, with Aontu being the only political party with a presence at the count.

Aontu's Donegal representative Mary T Sweeney had advocated at No vote. 

She told Donegal Live: "People are saying to me that this is a great victory for you. Yes, I am happy with the way the people have voted but it doesn't feel like a victory, it feels like the government has given the Irish people such a slap in the face with how they brought this referendum, and that sickens me.

"I think the government particularly underestimated the younger voters in assuming that by talking about inclusiveneess, young people would automatically vote Yes. But it was my experience out knocking on doors and chatting to students in ATU that the young voters were really keen to undertand what it was all about. I found that a lot of them really did not want the word 'mother' taken out of the constitution."

No representative for the Yes campaign was present when the results were announced.

Tanáiste Leo Varadkar earlier conceded defeat, saying that the government had 'got it wrong.'