Rónán Mullen has said he has no regrets about his opposition to gay marriage and lamented what he describes as an increase in "woke culture" since the vote. 

During the 2015 referendum on same sex marriage, the independent Senator was one of the No campaign’s most vocal advocates. 

Reflecting on the vote a decade later, Senator Mullen told Josh Crosbie for Newstalk Breakfast that he believes the arguments he made are still relevant. 

“The more things started kicking off, the more I felt that there were arguments that were more persuasive for keeping the definition of marriage based on the relationship between men and women,” he said. 

“I felt and still think that has a particular social function as the social ideal for the upbringing of children. 

“I felt there were other ways of respecting other people’s private lives and personal choices - for me, it certainly was never about not respecting private lives and personal choices. 

“I know a lot of people voted to redefine marriage because they wanted to send a message of love and solidarity to gay people - perhaps even a social atonement for past cruelties. 

“I just felt those instincts were generous but it was the wrong answer.” 

Posters for the No campaign. Picture by:Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie.

Senator Mullen added that he views ‘progressivism’ as a “failing” ideology.  

“I think people are seeing that all of these claims for rights are actually in the long-term letting people down,” he said. 

When asked if he would still campaign for a No vote if the referendum was held today, Senator Mullen said that he would. 

“I would reiterate that I wasn’t for or against anybody or their private life or personal choices,” he said. 

“Everybody is expected now to conform to a particular view - this is what we call woke culture. 

“We see it in the way people are made to feel cancelled if they have the wrong ideas. 

“So, I would say if it was happening again, I would make the same argument. 

“I would say, ‘Marriage is ideally about the upbringing of children and therefore men women relationships matter for that purpose in a way that society should acknowledge.

“‘But let’s look at how we respect the private lives and the needs and the rights of people - including same sex couples, in fact anybody who is mutually dependent and caring for somebody else.’” 

On May 22nd, 2025, 62% of Irish people voted in favour of gay marriage, while 38% voted against it.

Main image: A split of Rónán Mullen and a couple on their wedding day. Pictures by: RollingNews.ie and Alamy.com.