Last night, the very last TV debate of the referendum before the Broadcast Moratorium kicks in at 2pm today. It took place on The Pat Kenny Show on TV3 with the host taking on chairing duties where Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty and Amnesty Ireland’s Colm O’Gorman argued for the yes side and Maria Steen of the Iona Institute and Senator Ronan Mullen advocated a no vote.
As we have come to expect with these debates, things got very tense at times and emotions were running high, both on screen and for those at home watching.
Comments made by Ronan Mullen, however, in relation to mental health as well as his reaction to a young woman named Saoirse, left many viewers in disbelief.
Mullen: "Mental health had no evidence base" I think the reaction on these 2 women's faces sums up the nations feelings on that. Sadness and dismay #PKshow pic.twitter.com/p4qxe2HvEm
— Peter Cavey (@Twitspc) May 23, 2018
Senator Rónán Mullen said: 'Mental health has no evidence base' on #PKShow. His comment flies in the face of evidence -in a country that has one of the highest suicide rates in Europe #Together4Yes
— Laura Harmon (@Harmonica26) May 23, 2018
The lad behind Ronan Mullen with the facial expression of the nation #PKShow pic.twitter.com/TKyghIUGvM
— Stephen Devine (@stephendevine89) May 23, 2018
I think Saoirse and the shocked gasps at Ronan Mullen's response to her story is a standout moment of this campaign #pkshow pic.twitter.com/ZRuohwIeOl
— Naomi O'Leary (@NaomiOhReally) May 24, 2018
“You deserve love and respect no matter what you’ve done,” says creepy, patronising, sex-obsessed never-nude Rónán Mullen. #pkshow
— Donal O'Keeffe is voting YES (@Donal_OKeeffe) May 23, 2018
Ronan Mullens is the epitome of the No side, judgemental, pious, arrogant and unfeeling, saying 'No matter what you've done' to the very brave woman Saoirse after she told her story. What would he know about the pain she's been through. He makes my blood boil. #pkshow
— Emmet Kirwan Repeal (@EmmetKirwan) May 23, 2018
I was voting yes for Savita, now I'm voting yes for Saoirse #PKshow
— S.Cahill 🕊 (@S_MelaughCahill) May 23, 2018
After a painful powerful watch #darknessintolight on @TV3Ireland, mental health trivialized on the #PKShow by Ronan Mullen
— Niall Breslin (@nbrez) May 23, 2018
'Regardless of what you've done' - I cannot even with that. Like. WHAT. #PKShow
— James Patrice (@JamesPatrice) May 23, 2018
Imagine deciding to throw every single person battling mental health issues under the bus in the hopes of continuing to deny women bodily autonomy. This campaign has me broken. #PKshow #TonightTV3
— Andrew Galvin (@MaxHomo) May 23, 2018
#PKShow shock & awe with "mental health having no evidence base" in the audience tonight #repealthe8th pic.twitter.com/eOf7vIW0pl
— Louise Bunyan (@louloubunyan) May 23, 2018
The faces of modern Ireland? A spokesperson for a fundamentalist Catholic lobby group and a person who repeatedly ridicules mental health. Are these people we want to follow? I know I don’t. We can and must do better.
Yes for compassion. Yes for choice #repealthe8th #Pkshow pic.twitter.com/qzN6sRrABO
— Simon Foy (@Simon_Foy) May 23, 2018
