TAOISEACH VOTES:TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen was observing his own moratorium yesterday. "I'm not discussing anything else today," he told the media gathered in the polling station at Scoil Cholmáin Naofa in Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly.
After he and his wife, Mary Cowen, posed for photos at the ballot box he stuck to appealing to the electorate to go out and cast their vote. “I think it’s an important day for the country, an important referendum.” It was also “an opportunity for everyone to have their say today”.
Not even an appeal for a Yes vote. “I don’t want to be saying anything that’s seen to be advocating one way or the other. We’ll leave it to the people today,” he said cautiously.
Although when asked about accepting a possible No vote, he said the “people’s decision is sovereign”. But he was hopeful “and not getting into breaching your broadcast rules, that we’ll have a good outcome”.
But there were no moratoriums on the voters and one who could not be described as a fan of the Taoiseach was Michael Harvey, an Iarnród Éireann employee.
“I’ve no time for the man, or for Fianna Fáil,” he said, highlighting the banks, Nama, Fás and all the controversies of the day.
He added: “I’ve no time for any of them. No time for Fine Gael either. There was the Ceann Comhairle’s expenses and he apologised and that was all Enda Kenny wanted, which says to me that Fine Gael is at the same thing.”
He had no time for the Lisbon Treaty either. “They’re selling us short on Lisbon,” he said. “We’ll be ruled by Brussels.”
Mr Harvey then said his brother is a local councillor (for Fianna Fáil). And does he talk to his brother? “Of course. We’re very good friends. But I asked him does he even know where Lisbon is.”
He’d rather be ruled closer to home, but not by politicians. “Bring in a few businessmen – Irish ones, and let them run the country.”
Taking a totally opposite view was Kathleen Maxwell who arrived just before the Taoiseach. She voted Yes “because I trust him. I think he’s a genius.”
Other voters included Pat Dunne who said Yes “because there’s an awful lot of people idle”. Oliver Bryant, who works for Offaly County Council said “it’s the right thing for the country”.
Presiding officer Dolores Sweeney and poll clerk Eddie Leonard were divided about the likely turnout. Ms Sweeney guessed 51 per cent (last time it was 53 per cent).
“I don’t know that people will bother going to vote.”
Mr Leonard was more optimistic. “I’d say probably about 61 per cent/62 per cent.”
And what would the Taoiseach consider a good turnout?
“Look, whoever votes, votes. And obviously I’d like to see everyone come out but we never have 100 per cent poll. But I think it will be a good turnout. I think people have been engaged.”
It’ll be known soon enough who engaged them most.