WATCH: Equality Minister Ó Ríordáin asked to take off ‘Yes’ pin on RTÉ’s Saturday Night Show
Minister of State Aodhán Ó Ríordáin was asked to remove a pin supporting a ‘Yes’ vote in the upcoming marriage equality referendum during an appearance on RTÉ’s Saturday Night Show last night causing viewers to react angrily.
As Minister of State one of Ó Ríordáin’s remits is equality and the politician had chosen to wear a pin supporting the ‘Yes’ campaign on his lapel.
As he began to answer the opening question host Brendan O'Connor interrupted him saying, “Can you take off that pin please? The pin you’re wearing on your collar.”
The Minister complied with the request and retorted: “It’s a ‘Yes’ pin”, to which O’Connor replies “You just made it worse. I’m going to say no – just to balance you saying ‘yes’, I’m going to say no.”
Ó Ríordáin, who was on the show to speak about the National Drugs Strategy, made light of the incident as #PinGate started to take over social media.
#PinGate@YesEquality2015 pic.twitter.com/m9x57HzwAw
— Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (@AodhanORiordain) May 9, 2015
Anyone have a spare 'yes' pin?
— Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (@AodhanORiordain) May 9, 2015
Gave mine away & need it for Marriage Equality rally with @lgbtNOISE in Merrion Sq at 2pm tomorrow. #MarRef
Viewers of the show took to Twitter to vent after the incident.
I'm just now reading about #pingate, you're an embarrassment @rte
— ✨the soccer mom from HELL✨ (@cicaforever_) May 10, 2015
This just in. Required attire for appearance on TV shows #pingate pic.twitter.com/fzj7cHyZyx
— Annie West (@anniewestdotcom) May 9, 2015
Prefer that @AodhanORiordain was asked to remove his pin than have a No campaigner on next Sat.. Think they made the right call. #pingate
— Glenna Lynch (@Glenna_lynch) May 10, 2015
O'Riordain being asked to remove that pin is as crazy as if the Archbishop of Dublin was asked to remove a crucifix. Beyond bizarre #PinGate
— John McGuirk (@john_mcguirk) May 9, 2015
Dear BAI/RTÉ, if you wanna have balanced representation of views then kindly stop playing *THE ANGELUS* on national TV every day. #pingate
— (mmm) Danone (@dahnanofficial) May 10, 2015
