IRELAND HAS VOTED to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, paving the way for the legalisation of abortion in some circumstances. The country voted by 66.4% to 33.6% to remove the amendment with more than two million votes cast. At 64.5%, the turnout was one of the highest ever recorded for a referendum in this country and the highest of any referendum since 1992. The result was a landslide victory for the Yes side, which had led in every opinion poll taken throughout the campaign. Ireland will now look to bring in abortion laws that are similar to the vast majority of countries in Europe. The vote was the culmination of a large grassroots campaign which had lasted for many years before being backed by all the major political parties after the work of the Citizens’ Assembly and the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment. A large crowd has now gathered in the courtyard of Dublin Castle, where the official result was announced, to celebrate the passing of the referendum.
Minister for Health Simon Harris, who was one of the leading political figures in the campaign, said the electorate had voted Yes after carefully considering all the issues.“I think everybody is pleasantly surprised,” he said. The people of Ireland have said they“want to live in a country that treats women with compassion”.“Under the Eighth Amendment, women in crisis pregnancy have been told take the plane, take the boat, today we tell them; take our hand,” he said. “Under the Eighth Amendment, women in crisis have been told you’re on your own. Today we say: we will stand with you. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the result as “the culmination of a quiet revolution that has taken place in Ireland over the past 10-20 years”.“We trust women, and we respect them to make the right decisions for their healthcare… this gives the government the mandate”.The equal right to life of the unborn will now be removed from the Constitution and replaced by a line which allows for the Oireachtas to make laws for the termination of pregnancy. The government will shortly begin work on passing the draft of the proposed law, which will allow for abortion without restriction up to 12 weeks and in limited circumstances after that up to six months. The government has said that it will aim to have the legislation passed by the end of the year.