Mothers and Fathers Matter, the group leading the campaign for a No vote in the same-sex marriage referendum has described the participation by uniformed officers in a Yes campaign event as “deeply disturbing” and a “blatant politicising” of the force.
Following the circulation of photographs of uniformed gardaí apparently taking part in a Yes Equality photocall for voter registration outside Dublin’s Pearse Street Garda station, Keith Mills of Mothers and Fathers Matter said: “Anyone with the merest concern for democratic process has to be disturbed by this fracture of tradition and custom that has kept the gardaí as a strictly neutral and apolitical force.”
Mr Mills went on to point out that the Pearse Street event was not an isolated incident as uniformed gardaí had also been involved in a similar Yes campaign event at University College Cork, and other third level institutions.
“The gardaí have no statutory role in increasing franchise or voter turnout and consequently their use or participation in campaign events is blatant politicising and deeply disturbing,” he said.
In response to the Dublin event, Independent Senator Rónan Mullen called on both Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald and Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan to make full statements towards easing public concern and assuring that such incidents did not reoccur in the future.
Meanwhile, Independent TD Mattie McGrath dismissed statements from Yes Equality that gardaí were merely involved in a voter registration drive as “completely disingenuous”, pointing out that had such an event on the No side involved gardaí it would have resulted in “a massive backlash from the Yes campaign”.