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The nation was faced with the option of retaining or repealing the Eighth Amendment, and the Irish people have decided.
It’s looking a near certainty that the country has voted Yes to repealing the Eighth – with final tallies backing up the landslide predicted in two exit polls.
Here’s how the morning counting went.
26 May 2018
8:02AM
Good morning, and welcome to TheJournal.ie‘s liveblog on referendum results day.
Seán Murray here, and I’ll be guiding you through proceedings this morning into the afternoon as the boxes are opened around the country and the votes are counted.
You can get in touch with me by emailing sean@thejournal.ie or tweeting me @SeanMJourno.
The polling stations shut at 10pm last night and, despite the vote counting only set to begin at 9am, we already have a strong indication of how it’s gone.
We had two exit polls last night – one from RTÉ and one from the Irish Times. Both suggested a landslide victory for the Yes side, with the RTÉ exit poll suggesting a Yes vote as high as 70%.
We have reporters on the scene in counting centres around the country so stick with us for all the updates as the day develops.
After the exit polls last night, many supporters on the Yes side began to tentatively hail a victory, including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.
Thank you to everyone who voted today. Democracy in action. It’s looking like we will make history tomorrow.... #Together4Yes
With exit polls published, it looks like #8thRef has been emphatically passed. Important though that we respect and count every vote. If the exit polls are accurate, the view of our Republic is clear and we as an Oireachtas should move efficiently to enact the will of our people.
After a long day, a long campaign, a long time coming I can only say thank you everyone who campaigned,who believed, who voted #Together4Yespic.twitter.com/EvPRcvcwoC
— Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) May 25, 2018
People voting in Castleknock yesterday Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie
Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie
Reports of turnout were very high in some areas yesterday, eclipsing that of the marriage equality referendum. We’ll have more solid numbers later but it’s worth bearing in mind the turnout for previous referenda.
On the last day the country went to the polls in a referendum (we also had the referendum on lowering the president’s age that day) on 22 May 2015, the turnout was 60.5%.
That in itself was the biggest turnout for a referendum since the divorce referendum (62.2%) in 1995. 68% of the electorate, meanwhile, turned out in November 1992 to vote to allow women not be prosecuted for travelling abroad for an abortion.
From reports at polling stations across the country yesterday, turnout could well be in the 65%+ range.
There are more details of RTÉ’s exit poll being discussed on Morning Ireland at the moment.
It suggests that every part of the country supported repealing the Eighth Amendment.
The Yes vote was strong around the country, but particularly in Dublin with a Yes vote of 79%, according to the poll. In Leinster it was 67%. In Munster 66% and in Connacht and Ulster, the Yes vote was 62%.
RTÉ has also released a breakdown of how the supporters of particular parties voted in the election.
Roughly three-quarters or more of the voters who supported the main parties supported repeal with the exception of Fianna Fáil.
According to the exit poll, 49.7% of Fianna Fáil voters voted Yes.
Philip Boucher-Hayes / Twitter
Philip Boucher-Hayes / Twitter / Twitter
26 May 2018
8:29AM
More details from RTÉ exit poll, and this time it’s what swayed voters to vote the way that they did.
43% of people said it was people’s personal stories that were told to the media
34% cited the experience of someone that they know.
10% said posters affected how they voted.
And 7% said it was through direct contact with campaigners.
So, the last time the country voted on the Eighth Amendment, 66.9% of the electorate voted in favour of recognising the equal right to life of the mother and unborn.
My colleague, Gráinne Ní Aodha, posted this reminder of how the vote went and the breakdown by constituency last time. Only 5 of the 41 constituencies at the time voted against the Eighth Amendment.
The exit polls suggest that the result could have completely swung in the opposite direction this time around.
Back to the RTÉ exit poll, and voters were also asked in what situations they believed that abortion should be available.
In cases of rape or incest – 73%.
Fatal foetal abnormality – 71%.
Cases between 12-24 weeks where there is a serious risk to woman’s life or health – 67%.
On request up to 12 weeks – 52%.
26 May 2018
8:50AM
Orla O’Connor of the National Women’s Council said that, if the exit polls are correct, the result is “phenomenal”.
Speaking on RTÉ’S Morning Ireland, she said: “We want to thank every woman and man in every town, village and county who came out and voted yes. This is phenomenal. Assuming the polls are correct, this is a resounding roar from the Irish people about the horrors of the eighth.
“What became so clear was the importance of getting the public hearing the experiences of women and couples and hearing the reality of abortion in Ireland. It took enormous coverage for those women and men who spoke of fatal foetal abnormalities, of taking abortion pills and so on. I think today there will be a feeling of relief.”
Back to the 1983 vote now, and Dún Laoghaire was one of those five constituencies to vote against the introduction of the Eighth Amendment at the time.
Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty has been speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
She’s emphasised the government’s desire to now try to introduce its planned legislation as soon as possible, if the results confirm the clear Yes majority from the exit polls.
She said: “As far as we’re concerned, the heads have been published and we want to get it to second stage as soon as possible. There will be politicians to try and change some aspects of it but we have a clear mandate from Irish people that they want to see change and compassion.”
If you want to know more about the 12-week provisions within the law, click here.
Up and down the country, the ballot boxes are now being opened as the counting gets under way.
I'm at the RDS where the counts for Dublins Central, South Central, Bay North, Bay South and North-West are about to get underway #8thRefpic.twitter.com/Xqel8IlS63
Kerry Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae, a No campaigner, has been on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
Here’s what he said: “As you know well I was advocating for a No vote. I did so because of very firmly-held beliefs. We live in a democracy I’m taken with the massive amount of people who voted Yes.
Now it’s over to the legislators. We will have to look exactly what the Minister will bring before the Dáil but the people have spoken and that’s it.
A striking aspect of this vote has been the sheer numbers of Irish people coming home from abroad to vote in this referendum.
Many a social media timeline was full of #HometoVote posts this week and my colleague Órla Ryan spoke to those on both sides who were making the journey from a variety of different locations around the world.
26 May 2018
9:14AM
Solidarity-PBP TD Bríd Smith is now on Morning Ireland.
She says: “I don’t what to say… this is a game changer in Ireland’s society. We will never go back to the dark days of women’s rights, of women’s bodily autonomy, and of women’s existence.
This will open the floodgates of demanding equality at every level for women… People are sick and tired of being told how to think and behave. Women and men in this country want a decent future for their kids.
Labour Senator Ivana Bacik then says it’s “an incredible day”.
“For many years, we have all become aware of the immense harm of the Eighth Amendment,” she says. Bacik cites the “tragic” cases as really resonating with the public.
A bit more on that RTÉ exit poll, and there’s also a breakdown across a number of demographics.
The only age groups to vote No were over-65s, who voted 58% in favour of retaining the Eighth.
Just under 77% of middle class voters voted to repeal, 63.1% of working class people voted Yes while 52.5% of farmers also opted to lift the abortion ban.
26 May 2018
9:27AM
We’re seeing early tallies from all over the country, with a strong Yes vote in all areas so far, from Meath and Wicklow to Cork and Dublin.
Emotional interviews with a number of young repeal campaigners at the RDS on Morning Ireland right now.
“People were really engaged… it crossed all genders, age groups and backgrounds. Everyone has had someone affected by this,” one says.
“It shows how far we’ve come as a country… Our generation and generations to come will change everything for the better and trust women. That’s the best thing to come from this,” another says.
Here’s Cora Sherlock from Love Both on Morning Ireland.
She calls it a “sad day for Ireland”.
“We need to remember what the Yes side have actually won,” she says.
She says that the country hasn’t been having the conversation of why women travel to England for abortions.
Sherlock says someone who’ve made that journey “regret” the decision to have an abortion.
“The consistent narrative that was put out there was that we needed abortion to keep women safe,” she says. She adds that “it’s not it” for the pro-life campaign.
We will regroup, we will reorganise, we will work hard to make sure mothers and babies are protected.
Sherlock is also asked why she didn’t appear on RTÉ debate. She says “a campaign decision” was made to remove her from the debate.
There’s a statement in from Together for Yes, and its co-director Ailbhe Smyth has called it a “vote for dignity and decency”.
She says: “If exit polls are reflected in the official vote count later today, this will be a moment of profound change in Ireland’s social history, a moment when the nation collectively stood up for women and for their healthcare, and voted for constitutional change.
The people have heard us, the people have listened, the people own this Yes.
Aoife Barry / TheJournal.ie
Aoife Barry / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie
More from Cora Sherlock at the RDS count centre.
She says that she’s “surprised” by the margin in the exit polls.
She says it should “worry us all” that “abortion on demand is here”. Sherlock adds that it’s a “devastating day” for the pro-life campaign.
26 May 2018
10:05AM
There’s a statement in from Bpas, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service.
Its director of external affairs, Clare Murphy, says the likely result is a “momentous step forward that is long overdue”.
She says: “For decades, Irish women have been forced to travel hundreds of miles to our clinics in England, often alone, at a huge personal and emotional cost. The result, once confirmed, means that the Irish government can bring an end to this suffering, and legislate to provide the care women need at home.”
Reporters from across the globe descended on Roscommon this week ahead of the vote. Editor of the Roscommon People Paul Healy noted on Twitter that crews or reporters from Germany, Poland and Spain had been enjoying the sunshine and “checking out the perceived ‘conservative country’” in recent days.
The county has attracted more attention than most during the campaign due to its voting record on social issues.
The (now-defunct) constituency of Roscommon-Mayo recorded the largest majority in favour of the amendment back in ’83, at a whopping 83.8%
In 2015 it was the only area to vote against same-sex marriage.
Many in the town believe Roscommon’s reputation as the country’s most conservative county is a little unfair: other areas have very tight votes too, for instance, back in 2015 – and many younger people in the county moved to cities or overseas in the wake of the recession.
There’s been a surge in Roscommon voters hearing home to vote and detailing their journey on social media over the last few days.
You can watch our piece from the canvass trail in Roscommon and Mayo, recorded at the start of the month, below:
And on that Roscommon theme, initial reports from the county indicate a strong Yes vote.
Roscommon mentioned as an outlier on @morningireland but Yes side very optimistic In Boyle one box shows 221 Yes and 112 No Roscommon the highest vote for the 8th in 1983, joint highest for divorce and the only constituency to say No for same sex marriage.
The Green Party – which campaigned for a Yes vote – have a statement in.
Leader Eamon Ryan says: “Every Irish woman who in the past was shamed and forced to travel will hopefully also feel a sense of joy as well as relief today, knowing that their sister, their friend or their daughter will not have to face a similar journey.”
He adds that the campaign has highlighted the need to put in place more supports for all women and mothers in Irish society.
The Iona Institute’s David Quinn – a No advocate – is speaking to Marian Finucane on RTÉ Radio One.
He calls the results a “crunching win” for the Yes side.
He says: “I was thinking it would be maybe 56/44 for the Yes side. We’re faced with a situation where the pro-life vote boils down to its core of about a third of voters. It is a complete reverse of 1983…
When the pro-choice side was beaten 2-1 back in 1983, it was a lonely place for them. It took them 35 years to get to this position.
David Quinn is still speaking to Marian Finucane. He reckons anyone who was conflicted about the vote decided to vote Yes in the end.
On the Iona Institute, Quinn said that it didn’t run a large ground campaign, adding that the organisation is more about making people available to talk on media.
From as soon as boxes opened here at 9am Yes volunteers said they were hugely encouraged by what they saw.
The early tallies have borne that out – I’ve just been told that Moylagh, in probably the most rural part of the county, and regarded as a conservative area, is firmly in the Yes camp.
Some other data coming in from urban areas of Navan: Blackcastle is at 65% Yes and Johnstown is at 75%, according to one councillor here.
Of the total tally counted so far it’s 61% Yes.
The No side says it’s been close in a handful of areas:
There are some No volunteers keeping tallies. One man, who took notes on several boxes, said the Nos had been SLIGHTLY ahead in one box in Navan, and that it was close elsewhere. pic.twitter.com/8S6Kwqc28k
And Save the 8th have just sent in a statement, conceding the vote to the Yes side.
Here’s what they say: “What Irish voters did yesterday is a tragedy of historic proportions. However, a wrong does not become right simply because a majority support it.
“If and when abortion clinics are opened in Ireland, because of the inability of the Government to keep their promise about a GP led service, we will oppose that as well. Every time an unborn child has his or her life ended in Ireland, we will oppose that, and make our voices known.”
Peter Boylan says he was unprepared for but not surprised by some of the vitriol directed towards him during campaign - but it was worth it to get a win for the Yes campaign. It’s a day for women, he says #8thref@ @thejournal_iepic.twitter.com/3Z1KnjkWBE
Dr Peter Boylan, chair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the former Master of Holles Street, told reporters that he is “very happy” with the exit polls. He described Ireland today as a more modern, European country.
“It’s a happy day for women and that’s what this is all about,” he told TheJournal.ie’s Aoife Barry.
Boylan was a central figure in the Yes campaign, taking part in television and radio debates. Asked about how he was treated because of his decision to advocate for a Yes vote, he singled out the Claire Byrne Live programme on 14 May.
“I do [feel vindicated] but I have to say it’s not about doctors, this is about women. If you start playing the man, rather than the ball, you’re losing. If the abuse to me helped the campaign to say ‘Yes’, then that’s fine, I’ve no problem at all with that. I’ve experienced that sort of thing before. That happens – that’s the rough and tumble for this type of debate.
“I was unprepared for what happened on Claire Byrne, I’ve never experienced that amount of vitriol – it was quite astonishing. But as I say, if it helped the Yes campaign, great. You know, bring it on.”
Latest word is that with 82 boxes counted here in Meath West – that’s half the constituency – it’s 61.5% in favour of Yes, with support for repeal across urban and rural areas.
Here's a view of the count centre in Trim from the balcony. Most of the 'plainclothes' talliers here are on Yes side. Only a handful of No volunteers along today. pic.twitter.com/ZnUYPjpnmH
The idea of an urban-rural divide was mooted well in advance of the vote but that hasn’t been reflected in the tallies so far.
Here’s one update from Wexford, where all boxes from Gorey, Enniscorthy and New Ross districts showing a high Yes vote.
*BREAKING NEWS* Three quarters of all ballot boxes in Co. Wexford now opened. All boxes in the Gorey, Enniscorthy & New Ross Districts opened. All boxes showing a strong YES vote. There is no urban rural divide. pic.twitter.com/x6nRp2z0Wk
Simon Harris became a key figure in the Yes campaign and was hailed for his performance in the RTÉ Prime Time debate earlier this week.
He’s tweeted to say there’s been a high Yes vote in his Wicklow constituency.
Called into my local count in my hometown of Greystones. Have always known my constituents to be compassionate. Results bear that put - 82% in Greystones box, 83% in Delgany box and around 75% throughout all the county #togetherforyes
Dr Rhona Mahony, the Master of the National Maternity Hospital, has speaking to Marian Finucane on RTÉ.
She says: “I think it’s quite extraordinary. This result is about the women who have endured so much.
I think for them today it must be extraordinary to see the whole country get behind them. It’s a hugely emotional day. It’s about real life and it’s about understanding.
“It has been a very informed conversation right from the get go. I think Ireland has to be congratulated for the way it went about the referendum. More importantly the country has listened to women.. and the women have spoken.”
If you’re planning on going to Dublin Castle today, our reporter Nicky Ryan has the following advice:
If you’re coming down to Dublin Castle today:
• Main courtyard is open to the public • There’s no screen with the results, and no official announcements will be made out loud • Wear sun cream #8thRef
Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone is speaking on RTÉ.
She says: “I think there was a lot of doubt as to if this would be an effective process (referring to the Citizens’ Assembly and subsequent Oireachtas Committee which considered the matter).”
She says it wouldn’t have been easy politically for Taoisigh Enda Kenny and Leo Varadkar to take the action they did.
Noone praises Micheál Martin and Mary Lou McDonald for coming out on the Yes side and supporting the government’s proposals.
She adds that “some parties” may be out of touch with how people feel on the ground.
“This referendum has brought so many people together who care about mothers,” she says. She says “there’s a lot of good to come” in future from grassroots pro-life movements.
“We want to hold the Taoiseach to his word that abortions will be rare,” Ascough says.
We’re getting more statements in, mainly from those who advocated a Yes vote.
Here’s what Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger has had to say: “This is a victory delivered primarily by young people, the generation often disparaged as ‘snowflakes’.
They were the ones who said enough was enough and made this an issue, particularly after the tragic and unnecessary death of Savita Halappanavar. It was young women who refused to go along with the hypocrisy of the ‘Irish solution to an Irish problem’ and demanded and organised to force this change on a petrified and reluctant political establishment.
Speaking about the split in his party in relation to the referendum, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin told Marian Finucane on RTÉ Radio One that his majority of his TDs were okay with the position he took.
An interesting aspect of the RTÉ exit poll was that a small majority of Fianna Fáil voters voted No in the referendum.
“I think to be fair the vast majority were fine to be honest… There’s a continuum on this issue,” he said.
Martin said that it was always his belief that the result of the referendum would settle the matter definitely.
He felt “the result would give a clear and definitive pointer of what the people wanted,” he said.
“It was a matter of continuing to lead from the front.”
Martin said that the overwhelming strength of the Yes vote was something he could take comfort from.
“The world is changing and certainly there’s a force coming to have a very significant impact particularly in referendums,” he said.
Our political reporter Christina Finn was live at Dublin Castle with this update.
26 May 2018
11:37AM
We’re hearing a final tally from Carlow/Kilkenny and it’s 63% Yes.
It’s a majority Yes in most part of the country as it stands right now, with a question mark still over Donegal.
26 May 2018
11:38AM
Aoife Barry, at the RDS, has been talking to Eoin Shanahan, a no campaigner in Dublin Bay North. He talked, much like David Quinn did earlier, about how the pro-life campaign must have a long-term plan now.
“All they can do is to keep putting the message out there… keep putting pressure on TDs… to bring in laws to reflect their views, that’s what democracy is about. That’s what I’ll be doing. I did say to my son a few weeks ago, this won’t be over on the 25 or 26 May. This will continue regardless of the result. I do believe that if the result had gone the other day, we would have had another referendum. That’s what happened in relation to some other issues,” he said.
“There will always be a pro-life campaign and I’ll always be a member of it.”
“I think they are going to have to reflect very deeply on where they go from here. I think they will have to organise politically. I mean, one in three or one in four voters is serious political clout. If that was organised in a clever way, the movement could have a lot more political clout.”
Asked how he is feeling today following the exit polls, he said: “It’s a little like when your team has lost – but you’re still very proud to be part of the team but you’re disappointed they’ve lost. I was not terribly surprised [by the exit polls]… but if you had asked me yesterday, I would have thought it would be closer.”
26 May 2018
11:40AM
Interesting line from No activist and Fianna Fáil TD Mary Butler there on RTÉ.
With the government proposing to introduce legislation on abortion in the event of a Yes vote, there is the prospect of opponents attempting to block the laws passing.
However, Butler has said she will not halt legislation, or do any filibustering “or anything like that”.
26 May 2018
11:43AM
Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald has told reporters at the RDS that there is no room for any more filibustering from opponents to the legislation.
She wants it passed through the Dáil as quickly as possible. Simon Harris and Micheál Martin have made similar statements this morning.
Aoife Barry / TheJournal.ie
Aoife Barry / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie
Simon Harris has arrived at the RDS.
“They want to live in a country that treats women with compassion,” the Minister for Health says. “This is an Ireland that no longer says take the boat, take the plane… today we say we want to stand with you.”
26 May 2018
11:57AM
Tánaiste Simon Coveney tells RTÉ that the referendum result won’t be a case of “Dublin versus the rest”, and that is reflected by the Yes vote throughout the country with little urban-rural divide.
Even in the constituencies of prominent No campaigners – as we’ve already noted with Mattie McGrath - the vote was still for repeal.
In Kerry – the constituency of the Healy-Rae brothers tallies put the Yes vote at 58% to 42% No.
In Tipperary – the constituency of high profile No-vote campaigner Mattie McGrath tallies put the Yes side at 60% to 40% No. pic.twitter.com/4tHSzf5Wg9
Our reporter Nicky Ryan has just sent us these photos from a sunny Dublin Castle. As he’s already emphasised, there won’t be a big screen and stage announcing the results like the 2015 marriage equality referendum.
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie
Nicky Ryan / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie
26 May 2018
12:04PM
Here’s more of what Simon Coveney had to say earlier.
Speaking to RTÉ, the Tánaiste said the campaign was a “very emotional time for a lot of people who essentially have been hiding their stories for now”. He said these people can now look forward to a different type of Ireland for their own children.
Though he said there is not exactly an atmosphere of celebration today, there is “relief and satisfaction that Ireland is moving forward”.
Coveney also spoke about his own personal struggle with the issue, and said he will be a voice for pro-life people who have concerns about the next steps now. He said he does not believe the number of women who have terminations in Ireland will increase significantly – “by voting yes, it was not voting against unborn children”.
The Tánaiste also sought to reassure No voters that the legislation the government is hoping to enact “is going to be balanced”, describing it was “one of the most conservative pieces of legislation in this area”.
26 May 2018
12:06PM
Speaking to Marian Finucane, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said: “I think lots of us were probably guilty of poll watching.. And there was a certain sense of not taking anything for granted.”
McDonald said that particular credit was due to the women and their families who “came forward and told their stories”.
McDonald was questioned in relation to her party TDs Carol Nolan and and Peadar Tóibín – both of whom campaigned for a No vote, going against the official party line.
McDonald said that party members were entitled to have their own personal opinions on matters, but that when it came to voting on legislation, it was important that party views were represented.
“I hope that Peadar and Carol will accept the verdict of the people today and I will have no reason to believe they won’t,” she said.
26 May 2018
12:07PM
Minister for Children Katherine Zappone is at the RDS too, and she told our reporter Aoife Barry: “I was actually thinking of course of the women who were so brave to come forward to tell their stories to change the hearts and minds of, not only the citizens of Ireland but a lot of the politicians as well.
“And we are now moving forward more and more into a time and a period where the shaming of women has to be left behind…”
Another strong Yes vote coming in from Munster, and this time from Dingle in west Kerry.
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26 May 2018
12:13PM
And now we have a statement in from the Social Democrats.
Co-leader Catherine Murphy has said that the expected result shows the “innate decency of the Irish people”.
She said: “It is remarkable to see the depth of understanding and compassion of Irish voters of all ages and backgrounds towards those among us who face difficult situations and decisions during pregnancies.”
Soc Dem co-leader Róisín Shortall echoed these sentiments and said that a new Ireland is “clearly taking shape”.
26 May 2018
12:14PM
Our reporter Christina Finn is at Dublin Castle and she’s been speaking to Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger.
On the issue of the slim majority of Fianna Fáil voters backing retain, Coppinger said that party seems to be living in a “different timezone”.
She said: “I think the fact that one of the biggest parties in the State has shown itself to be so removed from the population, with over half of its TDs coming out for a No vote and actually getting involved in a quite reactionary campaign – I think they have serious questions to answer.
“The Dail in my opinion is a bastion of conservatism in comparison to the population, but Micheál Martin has a particular problem.”
26 May 2018
12:16PM
There are four out of five of the Dublin constituencies fully tallied. All of them have voted upwards of 70%.
Still no official results yet, but we shouldn’t be waiting too much longer.
Simon Harris is certainly a popular man today in the RDS, arriving to big cheers and stopping to take pictures.
26 May 2018
12:28PM
In a statement, Amnesty International has said that the people of Ireland have sent a “powerful message to women and girls that their human rights and reproductive health matter”.
Its director in Ireland, Colm O’Gorman, 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.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is speaking on RTÉ One now.
He says: “What we’ve seen today is 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.
“Most of all it was the very many brave women and men who told their stories as to how the Eighth Amendment had impacted on them,” he says when asked about what influenced voters.
They allowed us a nation to understand how this hard law created so many hard cases.
26 May 2018
12:38PM
Varadkar adds that he’d have the legislation through “quicker if he could”, and says it will take another six months for the legislation to be enacted.
“My intention is to bring in legislation exactly on the lines of what is in the general scheme,” he says.
We have info on what’s in that general scheme of the legislation here.
Senator Ronan Mullen is on RTÉ News. He has thanked the people who voted to retain the Eighth Amendment, adding that “we have lost something beautiful”.
He said that people in politics should show “leadership” on the issue.
Some more political reaction in from reporter Christina Finn in Dublin Castle:
Independent Alliance members Shane Ross, Finian McGrath and John Halligan have welcomed the early tallies indicating an overwhelming Yes vote in the referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment.
The three members campaigned for a Yes vote and the Independent Alliance played a major role in getting the commitment to hold the referendum into the Programme for Government.
The three members now believe it is important to get the legislation through without delay.
Mayo Returning Officer Fintan Murphy appeals for courtesy after minor exchanges between Yes and No sides leads to Garda intervention. 165 of 210 boxes tallied- 57% Yes 43% No. Around Westport and Belmullet Yes hitting 60%
A significant focus of the debate ahead of yesterday’s vote was on whether abortion laws would impact certain communities.
Down Syndrome Ireland had asked campaigners not to talk about people living with Down Syndrome in relation to the Eighth Amendment or abortion.
Other advocates, such as Suzy Byrne, asked for the same.
Today, she says:
Not sure if it will ever be fully disclosed the hell many disabled people and our families have been put through in this campaign - both on doorstep and streets. Those with acquired disabilities told they would not have been born!!! The denial of our health, sexuality, lives
Last night, Darach Ó Séaghdha (who wrote in TheJournal.ie that it “breaks my heart that my daughter might think she only exists because terminations were forbidden”), called for politicians who campaigned for No vote to advocate for people like his daughter.
The men and women of the Terminations for Medical Reasons group who have spoken about their experiences of having to travel abroad after receiving a diagnosis of a fatal foetal abnormality are due to speak in the RDS shortly.
Meanwhile, many are thanking Health Minister Simon Harris for the work he has done to get this referendum passed.
As we’re going to be getting results in from now, we’re going to close off this liveblog and open a new one so you can follow all the results as they come in here.
See you there.
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@Free comment ratings: Unfortunately women will still have to make the journey today. My heart breaks for them and the women who suffered unnecessarily because of the 8th. At least my daughter will have a choice when she grows up.
@Darren Norris: Darren, Darren, are you still there? Look, stick your head in the sand and pretend that baby parts were not used to heat 27 NHS hospitals in the UK. Did you say religious? What’s that got to do with it? RTE exit poll, 74% declared themselves as RCC. Nice try though.
@Shy Tall Knight: I know. But he said we’ll take it from here..hardly when people are making that journey today. We will take it over at some point but at the moment.
Little by little the Church is loosing control over the state. Next up getting rid of their influence on education. Again Iona and their ilk will protest, again the people will have their say.
@Toon Army: this was an abortion debate. It!’s said that the angry atheists have seen this as a church issue. Go down and throw rocks at the pensioners hobbling into mass to satisfy your bigotry and let the adults debate the rights and wrongs of our new abortion regime.
@Toon Army: By adults you mean let the politicians, right? although clearly, they should end up with similar to what was proposed at this stage/ but not necessarily the exact same.
@Toon Army: The turn out was very strong overall showing real engagement in the process. However, I have seen so many comments and heard so many people refer to the church regarding this vote. If people really have used this as a vote against the church then it really is a sad day, not for women, but for everyone.
@Nick Drake: According to the exit polls the main reason people voted yes was based on the shocking personal stories of the lives of women who were affected by this draconian amendment. An amendment that yes, had the full backing of the Church. It’s a sad day when, even after the people have clearly spoken, the no side will continue to deflect, speculate and ignore the facts.
This was a woman’s health and rights issue. Polling stations were full of mothers and daughters going together to vote and it was great to see the men in this country out to support thier wives , daughters , sisters and mother’s whom have been denied the right to medical care .
@Markonline: incorrect . One side tried to advertise this as an abortion ref . Anyway I respect everyone’s beliefs and it appears the majority have the belief woman in this country are more than capable of choosing their own healthcare decisions . I also respect those that put there opinion out in public but not so sure about anonymous people online spouting all sorts ……
@Dell: It was a very simple question that was put to the public, yet you still can’t quite grasp it. Why couldn’t we enshrine the right to have an abortion into the constitution?….no no that would have been too complex for you to vote for so now you don’t have to bother your little head about it and let others decide for you instead….maybe it is for the best after all if this is the level of foresight in this country.
@Darren moore: But that is not what was achieved….I agree that each situation is unique and can only be decided fairly by the individuals involved, but that is not what happened is it? Instead, the country has voted to let the government of the day decide the “law for the regulation of termination of pregnancy”….Hitler couldn’t have worded it better.
@mark online talking to people the way you are now doing in a condescending, self righteous manner and not truly listening is exactly why you and others made this a landslide victory.
This is a big blow for “the gammon heads” stuck in the 1950s Ireland. The more the Healy Rae , Mattie , Ronan Mullen etc appeared on TV the more they convinced the population to vote yes.
@Fergus Sheahan:
He’s right.
I don’t think such a marginal Yes vote would have been possible without the condescending behavior, question dodging and offensive replies from the likes of Maria Steen, Peadar Toibin, Mattie Mc Grath and Ronan Mullen. Intellectual suicide on national television.
@Jimmy jones: the no side has been lying through their teeth again and again so where was their style and grace then? Don’t get me wrong, no need to open champagne bottles if the yes wins but some of the stuff the no side has said… they don’t have my respect – will respect them in the result of the referendum but note they don’t deserve much of this respect imo
@Toki Wartooth: just cause you believe they behaved badly doesn’t give licence for you to do so, we all live in the same country and have to get along…rise above it, there are bad winners as well as bad losers
@Tweed Cap: you clearly didn’t watch the CB debate. Steen and Dr Monaghan were clearly the most well informed and capable debaters of the campaign, across the TV debates anyway.
@Toki Wartooth: horrendous. Seeking to marginalise a huge swathe of the population. God help the next generation if the mini socialists get into power.
@Jimmy jones: they lied, lied and lied…you think misguiding electorate is OK? Fair enough then…. and note also I don’t plan to celebrate anything, I have more respect than the one displayed by some of the no voters
@Fergus Sheahan: well said Fergus, humble in victory is a noble thing and people should look now to move forward together and not further wedge a divide with some caustic jibes like gammon.
@El Diego: I remember watching that debate the no campaigners did “win” it, but lets be clear they didn’t win because they had the better argument. They won it with brute force. The no campaigners in the audience on the night acted disgracefully and all steen did was shout.
Monaghan showed about as much empathy towards crisis pregnancies as snake does for a mouse.
But saying that the referendum is over (nearly). It might be good idea for some people that are bitter with the result (I’m hoping a minority of no campaigners) should probably stay away from social media for few days and try not saying inflammatory comments if unable to do so, does no one any favors except make yourself look like a fool
@Celtic_Horizon: it’s great that yes won but nobody can deny that some people on both sides acted horribly. Hopefully people accept winning gracefully , not that there are any winners really, without having to go and tear down the other side. We won, time for the fighting to end.
@Mickey Fennessy: it was passed democratically now lets look forward, in what way would a witch hunt be in anyway beneficial other that to serve your selfrigheousness?, that poisonous hatred when both ways
@Celtic_Horizon: you used the word “win” not me. I certainly am not bitter. I’m not a religious bigot and I am in favour of abortion for hard cases just not on demand. My conscience is clear. It’s the sad Yes triumphalists and angry atheists (equivalent of bible bashers) who need to stay off social media.
Ireland has shown it’s not being dictated to by the Catholic Church any longer after the marriage equality vote and now what looks like a resounding yes (judging by the exit polls).
I’m savouring my coffee this morning with no bitter aftertaste.
@Keith Synnott: good man. Put a bit if sugar in it for the lost lives over the next few years. You do realise that this was a vote on abortion and not the Pope’s popularity. The angry atheists seem confused this morning.
@El Diego: incorrect. Where does it state abortion on the 8th amendment? I’m quite aware it will mean a new law will be put on front of the dail to be passed on abortion but at the moment, the 8th is about the rights of the unborn.
@El Diego: cop yourself on, no-one is demanding anybody have an abortion but it’s about bloody time that the choice for women is there, if they need one they can have one in their own country, if they don’t want one, don’t have one, no-one is being forced, it’s called CHOICE !!!!!!!!
@El Diego: I’m neither an atheist or angry but you keep labelling and pigeon holing people sure, it’ll do wonders for you . I’m actually very happy today and anyone that respects a woman’s right to determine her own future will be too.
@Daniel O’Hara: did you not read the proposed legislation? You should have read it before you voted to remove the protection of right to life to our unborn.
@monika it was this kind of hyperbolic claptrap that made so many yes voters not engage with the love boats. You may have had some chance of changing people’s minds if you were a little less inclined to be so judgmental and plain old nasty to deal with.
@Keith Synnott: unfortunately for you Keith you sought to make a religious point out of what was a moral debate. Just so you know, 74% of those who voted yesterday declared themselves as RC yesterday. You should thank the members of the RC Church because they delivered the Yes result.
@El Diego: The church have been preaching how good Catholics must vote no from the pulpit leading up to this so my point is very valid and not unfortunate.
Mullen, Iona, Steen and the rest have been consigned to the wrong side of history.
The vote is a massive mandate for change, the fence sitters in the Dail need to realise that a sea change has occurred.
@DJ François: It makes me wonder how Ronán Mullen keeps getting elected to the Seanad. How transparent is that process? Is the counting done in public?
@Jack McGready: But it would seem her views are in tune with the majority, so graduates electing her makes absolute sense. Graduates electing Mullen seems to make no sense.
The women of Ireland wake to a new dawn. There’s more that needs to be done. I hope this victory gives them the strength, courage and determination to continue the fight for the issues women feel are necessary to improve their lives.
Without a doubt a yes vote… I feel it appropriate to divulge I voted no as I comment to be open and honest.
Lets truly hope the resultant legislation does indeed address the true crisis situations as passionately presented correctly by the yes side and stops short of abortion on demand as feared by the no side and which is also not what was advocated by the yes side as presented.
@Ken Maycock: look at all the other European countries…life goes on, kids are born and loved…you live in a better country today, I really hope you see it like this during the coming months.
@Ken Maycock: it is abortion on demand Ken. That’s what was voted for yesterday. Other countries are trying to restrict their abortion laws we’re introducing liberal abortion on demand allegedly for the “hard cases”. Not the solution.
@El Diego: We can but hope the legislation that is ultimately ratified and passed through the dail in coming months stops short of abortion on demand as feared by NO side, myself included, and denied by the YES side. Either way, the sooner the terms YES side and NO side vanish the better…. compassion was unfortunately lost in some aspects of this debate. Compassion needs to be brought back amd put inwaveringly at the forefront of every discussion about this topic.
@Ken Maycock: Once on-demand abortion is in, it will take another generation to restrict it to hard cases only. Damn this stupid government for making the choice a simple yes or no.
@Martin Flood: i hope you’re wrong but I share your fear. If the draft legislation presented as the alternative was narrower and focused on the true crisis situations then the referendum would have passed with a near as makes no difference 100% agreement.
@Toki Wartooth: Trolls up early today. What I have is said is 100% the truth of what I feel and believe. Lets keep this discussion respectful and compassionate, lets remember whats going to happen as a result. Happy to engage in discussion….. consider anything else ignored
@Ken Maycock: it’s as if the no side thinks without a restriction in place the country will descend to into chaos and every women will thoughtlessly have a abortions for fun.
@Seth Cheffetz: They’re you’re words not mine. You can be sure, with abortion on demand, there will be abortions for reasons that would go against our own moral beliefs regardless of where you ait in this discussion. I absolutely appreciate that decision is likely the most difficult that’ll be taken in that ladies life and I 100% empathise and wouldnt wish anyone to be in that situation.
I agree with choice in crisis situations as very well presented by the YES position, incest/rape/fatal abnormaility etc. I dont agree with choice carte blanche… and Im sure thats where we disagree.
@Ken Maycock: well said and I agree. Unfortunately the government have likely missed their chance to legislate for those hard cases. I hope that the majority in the Dail push on that Head 7 but given that FG worded that through Noone I don’t see that happening.
Fantastic result but it’s not something to celebrate, laugh or cheer about. It will not be a happy experience for any women to have an abortion here or elsewhere
@Deborah O’Lorcain: It’s absolutely something to celebrate – Ireland has given women autonomy over their own bodies. And while ‘happy’ may not be the right word regarding abortion, for many it will be a blessed relief. I respect that.
@Deborah O’Lorcain: Exactly, it’s not something you celebrate or start cheering about, you can be happy about it, but jumping up, clapping and cheering about it in public is not appropriate for this one, some serious morons out there in fairness
@Negan Lucille: I bet when the result is officially announced their will be people jumping up and down celebrating. I for one will not be calling the morons.
@Deborah O’Lorcain: I agree with you! It’s a bittersweet victory. Yes finally many women will be able to get help that they truly need but let’s not forgot that it’s also the loss of a life. I cannot celebrate that.
@Deborah O’Lorcain: I am celebrating for pregnant women who will now have the right to informed consent to medical procedures undergone whilst pregnant – a right denied by the 8th.
@Deborah O’Lorcain: Exactly. Too many people treating this as some kind of competition. Not appropriate to celebrate in the streets for this one. Sure its great that women have a choice now but lets not forget that children will also die because of this. But I’m sure the repeal jumper hipster brigade will be out in force anyways for the party
@Ciarān: well said Ciaran 100%. Ignorance is bliss. I sincerely hope that we don’t turn around in 3/4 years time like UK/US and think, how do we control this? A life is lost with every procedure. That’s some cross to bear. The hipsters will realise this when they reach the age of parenthood.
@Ciarān: “repeal jumper hipster brigade” how wrong can you be? 1000s of doctors and midwives and others that work with women day in day out and actually know what the 8th means came out for yes. It’s not some fashion, it’s real peoples lives.
@Deborah O’Lorcain: Its a pragmatic decision but we still haven’t adressed why so many woman have crisis pregnancys. This isnt winning its just dealing with the realities. Well done for showing a little bit of class which has sadly been missing from the debate.
@Ciarān: agree..It’s really saddening how far removed these people are from the reality of the trauma of abortion, to be celebrating like they are is really upsetting for those who have had abortions, it’s truly a tragic, awful experience to go through that I wouldn’t wish on any woman. It seems to be about ‘winning’ for a lot of them and a reaction to the past and the reign of the church rather than a realistic look at what abortion is. If euthanasia was brought in (which I fully support because it’s that person’s choosing and their own body NOBODY else’s involved) I doubt there’d be people drinking and partying. Very weird.
@Ciarān: I just saw someone post a photo on Instagram saying ‘we are the champions’ which proved to me that some people really did just see it as a competition and it’s really disappointing to see.
@sam harms alternatively they have been taking massive amounts of abuse for months while working towards achieving a goal for women to have control and a say in their own reproductive health and they are celebrating same. I see nothing wrong with people celebrating this at all. No one is celebrating abortion and if you think they are, you really got this whole thing completely wrong.
@Dell: people can celebrate respectfully without saying stuff like we are the champions. There’s no need to gloat or rub it in the face of people who voted no.
@sam harms they must be awfully fragile if that Is too much for them. Why the hell should they not express happiness anyway they want? For crying out loud do people want to control that now too?
Hard to believe it, really. A few months ago I would never have thought that Ireland was ready to vote in such an emphatic manner to legalise abortion. This is pending legislation of course, but with such a likely clear majority yes vote, it surely can’t be stopped now. Well done to our politicians, this was always going to be a gamble once it was not just about the hard cases, but the gamble paid off. Not a time to gloat, as a strong yes supporter I always fully understood the position and arguments of the no side, despite disagreeing. I think we all have friends and family members on the opposite side, and I genuinely feel for them now. But we had to do this in my mind, it was no longer an option for things to continue in the way they were.
Ireland has come out of the dark age where the Church ruled every fact of life. No more will it hold such a sway in Irish life, the Pope is coming to a different nation and for those who will go see him it’s their choice s free choice like the women in Ireland who will no longer have to travel to Britain for an abortion.
@Mick12: I think you are a logical person so follow the logic. Ireland was a tremendously influenced country by the Catholic Church, hence the 8th amendment. The church is losing support everywhere because we live in the 21st century now – and because they have been involved in too many scandals also, with children included!!! – hence the 8th amendment has been voted and it is gone. I am all about religion but not when it dictates critical functions within a society. Now you can say I am an atheist socialist murderer of babies if that makes you feel OK diegito
@Toki Wartooth: mr so smart in your own view, murdering children has NOTHING TO DO WITH religion or any church; but it has everything to do with ethics, morals and compassion, which are (clearly not in this nation) the very essence of humanity. You are so obsessed with the Catholic Church agenda that you all yes voters didn’t mind to condemn innocent ones to death. You condemn the Catholic Church for raping children, yet you voted to kill children yourself, so how are you any different, how are any better??? Shame on you all!
@monika shame on you for equating the life and health of a woman to that of a foetus. See how this works.. We could be going over and back with the dishing out of shame but that is and was always pointless. It may make you feel better but it will change nothing for anyone else.
Abortion preys on the poor, it’s sad to say but the most vulnerable in our society will use this new arrangement the most. What an awful day for this nation.
@Rambon: sadness will pass. You live in a better country today, hopefully you will realise about this in the future when you see that people keep on having babies and loving them. To think that women will abort just for the craic is a bit of s stretch and even if a minority do it think about the greater good this will bring for other cases.
@ el Diego it’s significant only in that it means that it is a significant minority. If the exit polls are right, we are now living in an ireland that doesn’t allow the likes of you to dictate over women in crisis situations anymore. Long live this Republic.
@Ciara Dowling: What has that got to do with abortion? Research has shown that women with suicidal tendencies are actually less likely to go through with suicide if the pregnancy is carried to full term than if the baby is aborted.
@Rambon: really is that why you see women on social welfare with 4 or 5 kids yet working women who desperately want a family but cant afford to are waiting until they financially settled and can support a child.
@Dell: I don’t dictate to anyone Dell. We’ll leave to to Leo (imprison women or Vote Yes) and Mary Lou (Vote Yes or be disciplined). I’ve always been a repeal person, for hard cases, as you would know if you ever read my posts. I’m not in favour of abortion on demand. I just hope you and the other Yes voters are happy with Head 7 in 3 years time as this is what you have voted for.
@el Diego You don’t get to decide which are “hard cases” and which aren’t.. You don’t get to decide who can and can’t have an abortion based on what you believe are good enough reasons… That is what I voted for and I’ll always I’ll be glad that the likes of you will never have a say over my body autonomy or my sisters, daughters, nieces or friends. I voted so that someone who uses the phrase abortion on demand when talking about someones personal situations and choices doesn’t have any kind of influence or say in whatever they do. I’ll never regret that.
@C_O’S: No. Im sure she was much more than a victim of bad law and medical negligence . Let her family and friends remember her for who she was. I hope this might bring a little comfort to her husband.
I genuinely had started to believe it wasn’t going to happen despite the positive feedback we were getting when we were leafleting and canvassing. We were in the city and we were told that it was far more promising than down the country. Well done rural Ireland. I Haven’t been on here, been out canvassing but have been checking in. Well done Francis, the risen, evie and all those who dealt with the lies and hyperbole on here. Oh and Tom Burke, wherever you are, I took your advise and got off my fat behind, thanks Tom, people like you made this happen.
Good morning,Dell :) We had two Yes votes from my household.They were for my daughters,sisters,cousins and every other woman that wanted to have that 8th amendment removed from our Constitution…No need to thank me for annoying those people on here :)
@Dell: morning. 3 votes in my house and 5 from the legion of women from next door also. It’s great to see that those who stuck their necks out at the beginning and took loads of abuse in the Dail and on the streets had their hard work and perceverance pay off.
So happy and relieved this morning that compassion, courage and respect for the decision making of women in distress, has won the day decisively at long last.Respect to the leadership of Simon Harris, Micheal Martin and Mary Lou McDonald during the campaign.My first campaign in this country was lobbying to get rid of corporal punishment of children in our schools, this result is similar in many ways, for a kinder ,more inclusive Ireland.
I voted yes, but I am ashamed of some of the behaviour of the yes voters using this as a new opportunity to mock and jeer ordinary decent religious people, I believe that extreme Liberalism is very dangerous and can be used as a vehicle to destroy our very unique irish values,
@Porter Mechanic: I voted yes reluctantly because I don’t agree with unrestricted abortion but i know people who voted no and none of them were for religious reasons. More often than not it was the yes side bringing up religion rather than the no.
@Dell: not everyone in the country is represented by groups who were canvassing. I voted yes but never once engaged with anyone about it because I wanted to make up my own mind. The people I know who voted no didn’t engage with those groups either and are the least religious people I know.
I voted yes but still remain opposed to abortion in general. If as the no campaign suggested that there is a better way now more than ever they will have the opportunity to show people what that is. They now can offer women a choice while we as a nation need no longer pretend that abortion doesn’t happen. Time to heal the rifts and for all concerned to work to make women’s health the best in the world.
it’s a heart warming day to be an Irish woman. I worked as a student midwife when Savita Halapanaver tragically lost her life and it never left me. I don’t think it ever will. thank you Ireland for doing the right thing I’m helping future generations of women make their choice. #forsavita
Voted No. Am No holy man here last time I was in church was a wedding. The only rights up to 12 weeks a perfectly healthy child has now is dependent on its mother.
Maybe its the spectrum of society I see, but I don’t trust people. There will be the FFA and the victims of rapes, the woman who makes this choice once in her life through a mistake, the ones I can agree with.
Then there’ll be those that revisit this repeatedly, those couples that choose not to have a child with a slight disability and those who’ll choose to terminate due to the lifestyle choices a pregnancy brings.
This will be borne out in the statistics which I think will be delayed by design.
@Albert Brennerman: if someone’s decides to have an abortion due to life style choices how is that any of your business? Morals are personal and you have no right to impose yours on anyone else. If someone feels like they can’t have a baby for reason such as they cannot face life as a single parent, financial reasons or it will trap them in a bad relationship then that’s their decision to make. Not yours
I now worry about the mess that’s going to be created when the gov try and legislate for this, lets be honest good legislation seems to be rare in this country recently more a case of seen to be doing something rather than addressing difficult core problems.
I wait to be surprised.
Why do the left have such a hard on for abortion? Even as an atheist I think it’s a pretty disgusting and immoral act that devalues human life. It’s disturbing we’re at the point that society considers women being able to scrape a fetus out of their womb a fundamental right so they can go out and indulge in consequence free casual sex as much as they want. Whatever happened to personal responsibility?
we are fortunate to live in a democracy ,the decision has been an emphatic yes ,the will of the people must be respected .i will always have my reservations but i am glad the result is beyond any doubt .
I’m at the count center in Roscommon. It’s going 58%Yes. RTE had their main media here with Catriona Perry reporting. They were expecting Roscommon to go No as the only constituency to vote against Equality. But now It is more likely to be Donegal or Longford that could possibly go No, where the vote is much closer.
I voted yes and as such am pleased at the outcome. But to be honest I felt this referendum brought out a petty and at times nasty side in a lot of people. The reductive, childish attitude of people discussing it really reminded me of arguing in the primary school yard. If you were voting yes that meant you were a godless lefty who delights in the killing of babies, if you were voting no you’re were a compasionless religious zealot (who probably thinks that recent scandals in the church were no problem at all). Never any acknowledgement that for many people it wasn’t a black and white issue. It’s so easy to assume you’re right and righteous and those with an opinion different to yours are wrong and evil. But it’s never that simple and if we lose the ability to truly debate and empathize then more and more division is sadly inevitable
Let’s have accurate reporting by The Journal. Constituency names don’t equate to Counties e.g. parts of South Donegal are in the Sligo/Leitrim constituency and tallies are saying they have voted in favour of repeal!
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Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 56 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 67 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 74 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 33 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 39 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 23 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 77 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 87 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 64 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 46 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 75 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 54 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
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