Ireland abortion referendum polls LIVE updates: Polls open in historic vote
VOTING has begun in Ireland's abortion referendum, as citizen decide whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the constitution which prohibits pregnancy terminations unless a mother's life is in danger. As polls open, follow here for live updates of this historic referendum.
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The Eighth Amendment clause was written into the constitution after a 1983 referendum which sought to recognise the right to life of an unborn child. It protects the equal right to life of the mother and the unborn child and prohibits abortion in almost all cases.
- Thousands of women travel abroad each year, predominantly to Britain, to seek terminations of unwanted pregnancies.
Under pressure from the UN about the alleged degrading treatment of women who travelled to England for terminations, the Irish Government began exploring the possibility of reform
Both sides of the debate have fought emotional campaigns in the run-up to this election
‘Vote yes’ group Together for Yes is the umbrella group campaigning to repeal the Eighth, and are have youth and social media support.
‘Vote no’ groups LoveBoth and Save the Eighth, in favour of keeping the amendment, is receiving most of its support from the Catholic community.
The Government has already published draft legislation to be introduced if the amendment is repealed. This would allow relatively free abortions, subject to consultation with a doctor.
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Friday, May 25. Irish voters will need to have registered before the referendum in order to cast their vote.
It is expected that results will start coming in towards Friday night, with the final announcement of results expected in the early hours of Saturday morning.
- Follow here for live updates as voters head to the polls.
9am update: If it's a YES, it'll be law before the end of the year
If the public votes to repeal the Eighth Amendment, the Irish Government intends to legislate by the end of the year to make it relatively easy for a woman to obtain the procedure in early pregnancy.
8:45 update: A "one in a generation decision"
Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s Taoiseach, said that the referendum is a “once in a generation decision”.
If the proposal to repeal the constitutional clause is defeated, it is likely to be at least 35 years before voters get another say on the matter.
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8am update: Early predictions show close result expected
The latest opinion polls indicate a majority for repeal, although undecided voters – estimated at between 14% and 20% of the total – could hold sway. Two polls published this week showed small increases in the yes vote, with one putting it at 56% and another at 52%.
7am update: Polls open across Ireland
Residents of Irish islands cast their votes on Thursday, to ensure their votes reached count centres on time.
More than 3.2 million people are registered to vote in the referendum, with more than 100,000 new voters registering ahead of the poll.