Referendum counts live updates: Taoiseach admits referendums defeated comprehensively The Irish Times
The Government has conceded defeat in the family and care referendums, hours before counts were completed, after tallies showed the electorate leaning strongly towards two No votes.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it was clear that the two referendums were defeated comprehensively , while Tánaiste Micheál Martin said a majority of voters were not persuaded by the arguments for changing the Constitution in this way .
Polling stations across the country closed at 10pm on Friday, with reports of slow voting last night leading to growing anxiety within Government over the results.
In the referendums, the Government proposed expanding the definition of family in the Constitution to recognise durable relationships , such as cohabiting couples and their children, and replacing the language around women in the home with language recognising care within families.