There’s widespread welcome of the Eighth Amendment result from human rights groups.
A steady stream of tallies and results show a huge majority of people have voted to repeal the law which prohibits abortion.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has welcomed what it calls the “overwhelming” vote.
Executive director Liam Herrick said: “This resounding and emphatic vote by the Irish people to repeal the Eighth Amendment is an historic victory for women’s rights.
“This vote demonstrates that Ireland in 2018 is a more caring and compassionate society that recognises the harm and terrible injustice that has been caused by this constitutional provision.
“Ireland will now be able for the first time to introduce nuanced legislation which can address the full complexity of pregnancy in a manner compatible with the rights and dignity of Irish women.”
The ICCL campaigned against the insertion of the Eighth Amendment into the Constitution back in 1983.
ICCL today warmly welcomes the overwhelming vote to repeal the 8th. This emphatic vote is an historic victory for women’s rights. It is the victory of the courageous women who put their stories before the people at great personal cost and convinced them that change was necessary
— ICCLtweet (@ICCLtweet) May 26, 2018
Amnesty International said: “Today the people of Ireland sent a powerful message to women and girls that their human rights and reproductive health matter.
“In this historic referendum, the Irish people have resoundingly voted to end the almost total constitutional ban on abortion.
“While the final count is not yet confirmed, it is clearly a decisive Yes result”‹.”
Looking like a new consensus among people in #Ireland that women and girls who need abortion services should be cared for at home.”‹ That women's health and #humansrights matter.#itstime #Repealthe8th #VoteYes #together4yes pic.twitter.com/qI2c8GpIio
— Amnesty Ireland (@AmnestyIreland) May 26, 2018
Colm O’Gorman, executive director of Amnesty International Ireland, said: “This is such an important vote for women’s dignity and bodily autonomy.
“It shows what sort of country Ireland really is - one where people care.
“At last, Ireland is free to create a legal and medical framework for abortion access that respects their human rights”.
#Repealthe8th clearly a “Yes” result! Today’s historic referendum result is a victory for equality, for dignity, for respect and compassion. It is a victory for a future Ireland where the human rights of women and girls are respected and protected!
— AmnestyInternational (@amnesty) May 26, 2018
Mr O’Gorman added: “Today’s vote sends a message to Northern Ireland, El Salvador, Poland and other places were the struggle continues, that change is possible.
“States currently considering restricting abortion access should take a lesson from Ireland.
“The Eighth Amendment was a failed experiment. It never actually stopped abortions, just forced hundreds of thousands of women and girls into having unsafe abortions. It inflicted 35 years of harm and anguish.”
