Senator David Norris has said that he refuses to remove his Yes badge in Leinster House.

Senator David Norris has told The Irish Times that the Superintendent of the House asked him to remove the pin, but he refused.

Norris said, “The rules state you cannot wear party political branding. This is not party political. I am an Independent and I will not remove it.”

He also said that he would not object to a member or a visitor wearing a No badge even if he doesn’t agree with their stance.

Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer is also refusing to take off his pin.

“I adhere to the dress code and the behaviour in the house and if there is going to enforcement, it must apply across the political divide and that is the way it should be,” said Buttimer. “I will be wearing my Yes pin.”

A spokesman for the Houses of the Oireachtas confirmed “members, staff and visitors asked to remove emblems”, to comply with rules.

“Members, staff and visitors continue to cooperate on the longstanding protocol around emblems of a party political nature in the precincts of Leinster House,” he added.

“As there has never been wilful and persistent breaching of this protocol, the question of sanction is in the hypothetical and does not arise.”