Taoiseach Enda Kenny side-stepped the issue of water charges in his keynote address to the Fine Gael national conference today.
In case you're wondering what Enda Kenny said about water charges, the answer is zero. #fgnc15
— Cathal Mac Coille (@CathalMacCoille) February 21, 2015
The omission came despite protests near the conference venue in Castlebar, Co Mayo.
RT @FliuchOff: Protest taking place in #Castlebar outside #FineGael conference (#fgnc15)https://t.co/xi8dqd5NIX http://t.co/onimXITtK5
— Tadhg O'Leary (@Tigerlil2) February 21, 2015
During the speech, he said that the right of same sex couples to say the two small words "I do" should become their letters of freedom.
In a passionate call for a Yes vote in May's referendum, Mr Kenny said that as we approach the centenary of the rising it would send out the powerful signal Ireland has evolved into a fair, compassionate and tolerant nation.
Taoiseach has also pledged to work day and night for the next year to secure the recovery - which he says is fragile and incomplete, insisting that political stability is needed to underpin economic stability.
He made two promises - that the era of taxes and new charges is over and that Ireland's Corporate tax rate is "not up for grabs".
Looking back to the 2011 election campaign and that 5- point plan, the Taoiseach said that four have been delivered - health is taking longer, but that plan is still the right one, he said.