The Fine Gael leader said he is “not their mammy” and will not tell his party members what to do with their weekends.
“Perhaps it was a trip that was organised long before polling day was set, I honestly don’t know,” he said.
“Certainly I wouldn’t be one who has missed many votes, I have missed the odd one for work reasons but I would always try to be there,” he added.
Fine Gael Senators John McGahon and Garret Ahearn did not cast their ballots in the proposals — which were met by a rejection avalanche — because they were travelling to the airport for an early morning flight.
The trip away had been pre-arranged, and the need not to miss the vital connection meant they couldn’t be at their local national schools when polls opened at 7am.
Mr McGahon accepted he was at the match – “a brilliant experience, despite the result” – and confirmed he had missed exercising his franchise by flying the day before.
“Regrettably I was out of country, with a flight that boarded at 8am, making voting in Dundalk impossible,” Mr McGahon said. “The flight was booked long before the writ for the referenda had been moved.”
Senator Garret Ahearn said: “Unfortunately I was out of the country and could not cast my vote in Tipperary.”
The news comes after veteran Carlow-Kilkenny politician John McGuinness TD of Fianna Fáil revealed that he had voted No-No, joining rebel colleague Willie O’Dea.
Mr McGuinness said the Government was now “out of kilter; with the people and predicted that the chasm so wide it would have a major impact in the both the Local and European elections in June and the subsequent General Election.
“The main breakdown has been on truth and truthfulness,” he said.
The chair of the Oireachtas media committee, Niamh Smyth, a Fianna Fáil TD who had become a household name from the RTÉ inquiries, also revealed she had voted No to the care referendum.
Ms Smith said she had been impressed by the arguments of Independent Senator Tom Clonan, who argued that the amendment would put the primary burden on care permanently on families.
Ms Smyth said she also felt that “the wording wasn’t strong enough”. She had exercised a personal choice, although she had canvassed constituents for a Yes.
“That’s the beauty of democracy,” she told RTÉ. Everyone had a vote, and “it doesn’t matter whether you are an elected member or a citizen. I listened to the experts.”
She joins colleague and party leader in the upper house Senator Lisa Chambers, who voted No-No.
She said earlier this week she voted No in both referendums because she could not support the removal of the word “mother” from the Constitution and had concerns about the legal consequences. She had been pictured on Fianna Fáil social media accounts canvassing for Yes in February.
Speaking to media during a visit to Boston today, Mr Varadkar said he “absolutely” has confidence in Ms Chambers.
Mr Varadkar said he has to be “respectful of the fact” she is a Fianna Fáil politician and said he “does not see what’s to be gained” by claiming to be on the winning side after a vote.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – March 12th
Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon admitted he had not canvassed, although he spoke “to anyone who approached me” for an explanation of the issues. He said he had voted for both proposals, “but didn’t knock on doors”.
Green Party TD Brian Leddin — who will be a candidate for Mayor of Limerick in June —said he only “did some media stuff,” and accepted he had let his party down after leader Eamon Ryan claimed the Greens had been the most active of any political party on the doors.
“I didn’t get to the point of knocking on doors,” he said.
“It’s not good enough. I have to accept that. I could have done more. I hold my hands up.”
His colleague, Integration minister Roderic O’Gorman, was the single minister most associated with the propositions rejected by the people.
