Kenny: Referendum will pass by a slimmer majority than polls suggest
The Taoiseach said he believes the marriage equality referendum will pass - but only by a slim majority.
Speaking on TV3's Ireland AM this morning in a live interview, the Taoiseach said he believes the vote will be much tighter than current polls suggest.
He also said his own "journey" to a yes vote – after it was put to him that he once may have voted no – was brought about by hearing stories from ordinary Irish people.
He said changing his mind on the issue "goes back a very long way," and dates back to the de-criminalisation of homosexuality and the laws governing discrimination in the workplace.
"It's the stories of the ordinary people that have brought me on this journey, to the point where I'm absolutely happy in my own mind and conscience," he said.
He added that this month's poll has "nothing to do with religious sermons" and is a question of extending the same right to every Irish citizen.
The Taoiseach also addressed the issue of upcoming pay increases, saying everything he will do in the next 12 months would be seen as an attempt to win votes ahead of the 2016 general election,
However, he said "the minister [Howlin] made it clear he hasn't got a blank cheque" and upcoming public sector pay talks were merely the start of negotiations.
