# Ireland SSM referendum heats up **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 15, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106 "2015-05-15T13:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/41 "2015-05-20T16:56:40Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > The C of I has historically been overrepresented among professionals, business owners and the upper middle class though . . . [Historically, yes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Ascendancy), but still?! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/42 "2015-05-20T20:09:48Z")
> [@](#): > > How many people who “describe themselves as Catholic” have been to mass other than Christmas and/or Easter in the past three/five/ten years? “The official position of the church” is pretty much, “They’re called ‘days of obligation’ and not ‘days of “see if you can spare some time for it”’ for a reason.” I’m not sure I see the relevance. Yes, there are plenty of people who self-identify as Catholics yet who never go to mass except on Christmas and Easter, but there are such people of all political persuasions. There are regular churchgoers who support marriage equality, and there are people who never go who insist on discrimination because their religion requires it. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/43 "2015-05-20T22:26:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Historically, yes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Ascendancy), but still?! To an extent it is still true. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/44 "2015-05-21T00:58:23Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What is the Lucky Charms’ Leprechaun’s position on this issue? Well, leprechauns are technically a type of fairy, so… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/45 "2015-05-21T02:02:06Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What is the Lucky Charms’ Leprechaun’s position on this issue? “Gay weddings are magically delicious!” 🙂 Which they are, from all I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/46 "2015-05-21T02:07:36Z")
> [@Miss\_Mapp](#): > > I wondered about that. When I was in Ireland the week before last, most of the No posters I saw on the streets seemed more concerned with opposing surrogate mothers than with two same-sex people getting married. > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Surrogacy has been dragged into the debate even though it is not an issue dealt with in the referendum. I should think not. Can’t same-sex couples use surrogate mothers whether they’re legally married or not? Or is it illegal in Ireland for unwed couples to use surrogates? Or is it illegal in Ireland for anyone to use surrogates? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/47 "2015-05-21T03:27:39Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Or is it illegal in Ireland for anyone to use surrogates? As I understand it, it’s not _illegal_, but it’s not recognized either, so if you have a child by a surrogate the legalities will not be in your favor if there’s a disagreement. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/48 "2015-05-21T03:39:01Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > As I understand it, it’s not _illegal_, but it’s not recognized either, so if you have a child by a surrogate the legalities will not be in your favor if there’s a disagreement. Like, if the surrogate decides she wants to keep the baby after all? ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/49 "2015-05-21T10:20:39Z")
The state does not recognise surrogacy at present. The baby is the mother’s. This is going to be dealt with by parliament in the future as it doesn’t involve a change to the constitution. > **[Surrogacy in Ireland: Where do we stand?](https://www.thejournal.ie/surrogacy-in-ireland-marriage-ref-2089158-May2015/)** > > The referendum on marriage equality is only a few days away. However, other issues have been entering the debate. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/50 "2015-05-21T16:21:15Z")
BTW, [the RCC is on a rapid decline in the U.S., too](http://www.salon.com/2015/05/21/the_catholic_churchs_american_downfall_why_its_demographic_crisis_is_great_news_for_the_country/). This is remarkable news, the Catholic percentage of the American population had held stable for a very long time. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/51 "2015-05-21T16:46:15Z")
Getting up at the crack of dawn to go to the polling station in my old home town. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/52 "2015-05-21T16:53:45Z")
Which way are you voting? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/53 "2015-05-21T17:06:45Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Which way are you voting? 😉 Yes on both. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/54 "2015-05-21T17:58:12Z")
Just out of curiosity, is there anyone who might actually become president who is ineligible due to the current age requirement? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/55 "2015-05-21T18:10:10Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Just out of curiosity, is there anyone who might actually become president who is ineligible due to the current age requirement? Jedward? ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/56 "2015-05-21T18:40:28Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Just out of curiosity, is there anyone who might actually become president who is ineligible due to the current age requirement? No. In the history of the State there hasn’t been that many. Michael Collins was 31 when he died but he almost certainly wouldn’t have had interest in a figurehead position at that age and there was the fact that there wasn’t even a Republic then 😉 He was popular enough though [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJTvr833R-Q](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJTvr833R-Q) Men like him and the circumstances that make them don’t come around that often. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/57 "2015-05-21T21:17:59Z")
Dublin Airport is supposedly packed tonight with people coming home to vote from UK and the rest of Europe. All flights from the UK totally booked. I hope the turnout will be huge. Possibly highest ever. Everyone I know have said they are voting tomorrow. Some in their 40’s have registered for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/58 "2015-05-22T08:33:16Z")
Wow. Can I reasonably assume it’s the “Yes” voters flying home to vote? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/59 "2015-05-22T08:51:22Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > Dublin Airport is supposedly packed tonight with people coming home to vote from UK and the rest of Europe. All flights from the UK totally booked. > > I hope the turnout will be huge. Possibly highest ever. Everyone I know have said they are voting tomorrow. Some in their 40’s have registered for the first time. I am a bit dubious about all that many extra people coming home. Lots of people fly home for the weekend or every few weeks/months, maybe a few made sure it coincided with the vote. A lot of people are showboating online about coming home to vote. Many of these aren’t otherwise politically engaged so it comes across a bit precious and sanctimonious. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/60 "2015-05-22T08:53:08Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Wow. Can I reasonably assume it’s the “Yes” voters flying home to vote? Yes. The people come home are typically young and they trend more Yes than the average. I took the long walk to freedom six miles from my current abode to my hometown to vote this morning. Decent amount of people at the polling station at 7am. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106.md?page=4)