Leo Varadkar: Marriage equality result was best day of my political life
Vivienne Clarke
Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the marriage equality referendum results day was the best day in his political life.
On May 22nd, 2015, the Irish electorate voted by 62 per cent in favour of same-sex marriage, on a high turnout of 61 per cent. All constituencies voted Yes except Roscommon-South Leitrim, which rejected the proposed amendment by a narrow margin.
"It was just one of those days where everything came together," Mr Varadkar told Newstalk radio on the 10th anniversary of the event.
"I started that day performing the official opening of St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown, which I'd been able to get funding for as health minister, so I just kind of saw two projects on the one day that were totally different and totally unconnected coming to fruition so it's those kind of days that make it all worthwhile."
Mr Varadkar said it had been overwhelming at the referendum count centre. He had anticipated the results would be similar to the divorce referendum in 1994 – that the Yes vote would be stronger in urban areas with a big No vote in rural areas – but that did not happen.
As the results came in from around the country he said it became obvious that "it was a country that was embracing the idea of equality before the law for everyone, equal rights, freedom, equality of opportunity, and was doing it without a huge rural-urban divide or a class divide."
Mr Varakdar said the day was part "a wave of progress and liberty and freedom" that Ireland was part of.
The former Fine Gael leader, who resigned as taoiseach last year, acknowledged that when he started in politics he had not anticipated how much things would change in Ireland in the space of 10 years.
He also admitted that his decision to "come out" had not caused him great angst, but it did cross his mind that it might have an impact on his future career.
However, Mr Varadkar warned there were going to be setbacks in Ireland and around the world. "I always say that the arc of history bends towards progress, but it's not a straight line. There are always going to be backlashes. And they're going to be setbacks and sometimes they're gonna be severe.
"It's one step forward, two steps back. That's kind of where we are at the moment."
