Voters in Ireland pave way for abortion on demand

A woman religious casts her ballot May 25 in Dublin as Ireland holds a referendum on its law on abortion. Voters went to the polls May 25 to decide whether to liberalize the country’s abortion laws. (CNS photo/Alex Fraser, Reuters)

DUBLIN (CNS) — 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.Results from the nationwide referendum showed that 66.4 percent of citizens opted to remove the Eighth Amendment from the constitution, while 33.6 percent voted to retain it. Turnout was 64.5 percent.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.”Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick told Massgoers May 26 that the result “is deeply regrettable and chilling for those of us who voted ‘no.'”He said “the final result of the referendum is the will of the majority of the people, though not all the people.””It is a vote, of course, that does not change our position. Our message is one of love: love for all, love for life, for those with us today, for those in the womb,” he said.  For the rest of the article go here.