Voters in Ireland have opted to remove the right to life of the unborn from the country’s constitution, paving the way for abortion on demand up to 12 weeks.
With votes counted from 30 of Ireland’s 40 constituencies, results from the nationwide referendum showed that 67.3% of citizens opted to remove the Eighth Amendment from the constitution, while 32.7% voted to retain it. Turnout was 64.5%.
Voters inserted the original amendment in the constitution in 1983 by a margin of 2-1, and it “acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.”
That text will now be deleted and replaced with an article stating that “provision may be made by law for the regulation of termination of pregnancy.” Minister for Health Simon Harris has said he would introduce legislation that would allow abortion on demand up to 12 weeks, up to 24 weeks on unspecified grounds for the health of the mother, and up to birth where the child is diagnosed with a life-limiting condition that means he or she may not live long after birth.
