There was less than an hour between Junior Integration Minister Joe O’Brien insisting the family and care referendums had “absolutely not” been lost and his party leader Eamon Ryan arriving at the RDS to concede yesterday morning. By that stage, with the ballot boxes open just over two hours, the coalition blame game was already well under way behind the scenes.
Catherine Martin was aware Siún Ní Raghallaigh was likely to resign as RTÉ chair before the Media Minister went on Prime Time and failed to express confidence in her.
The head of the State’s human rights watchdog, who is controversially seeking to run for the Social Democrats, has brought forward her resignation and will campaign for a Yes vote in the family and care referendums.
The alarm bells began ringing in Catherine Martin’s head last Sunday when she read that Rory Coveney’s controversial exit package had been approved not only by RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst but its chair, Siún Ní Raghallaigh.