Abortion referendum to test hearts and minds in a changed Ireland

Facebook and Google have both taken steps to restrict or remove ads relating to the referendum in a move created to address global concerns about social media’s role in influencing political campaigns, from the USA presidential race to Brexit.

Varadkar and others say this is impossible – citing advice from Ireland’s Attorney General – and have accused their opponents of trying to dupe voters.

Theresa Sweeney, a repeal supporter, was one of the first to arrive at a church polling station in Dublin. “She’s a young woman”.

When contraception was legalised in Ireland in 1974, there was a widespread belief that liberal abortion laws would inevitably follow.

She said she couldn’t help me any further, handed me a prescription for folic acid and a counselling card for Cura. “Whether you agree or disagree, it shouldn’t be the government or anyone else making that decision”.

Is it likely that the vote will result in repeal?

Halappanavar’s father Andanappa Yalagi said, “I hope the people of Ireland remember my daughter Savita on the day of the referendum, and that what happened to her won’t happen to any other family”.

I am part of London Irish United For Life (LIUFL), which was set up previous year by a group of London-based Irish women, who are campaigning to keep the 8th Amendment in the Irish Constitution.

The referendum will decide whether the eighth amendment of the constitution is repealed or stays in place.

Ireland has a wonderful record in safeguarding the lives of pregnant women and the non-availability of abortion does not put women’s lives at risk.

Abortion is accessible to most women in Ireland – if you have the money, if you have somebody to look after your kids, if your partner isn’t abusive to the point where you don’t have the ability to spend 24 hours away from him, if you have the requisite visa papers to leave and re-enter Ireland.

The law has led to thousands of women travelling each year to Britain where abortion is legal.

In the United States abortion was legalised nationwide in 1973, but has been under pressure since Donald Trump became president, with some Republicans seeking restrictions. “I have some reservations about what the legislation will be: I have a problem with abortion at up to 12 weeks unrestricted. Why only three days from the vote are people only suddenly raising that?” It’s in stark contrast to the atmosphere during the referendum on gay marriage.

The referendum on whether to repeal the country’s strict anti-abortion law is being seen by anti-abortion activists as a last-ditch stand against what they view as a European norm of abortion-on-demand.

But despite the grins, they say campaigning has not been a wholly pleasant experience.

“And they said that they voted for the eighth amendment, which I kind of guessed, I suppose”, she says. Their campaign was helped by the fact that in the political instability of the early 1980s, successive Taoisigh (prime ministers) were conscious of alienating the dominant conservative vote.

South Korea’s laws provide that procuring or providing an abortion in most circumstances is a crime.

There are also risks associated with taking these pills alone, without means to travel to a hospital if necessary, and if a pregnancy has passed a certain date.

Letters to the editor published Friday in the Irish Independent newspaper contained several emotional arguments urging voters to reject the repeal movement. We have a long, dark history and in many ways this referendum has allowed us to shine a light on it. Women and men from every corner of this country have told their stories and have been shown great empathy, compassion and kindness from people who both support and oppose the referendum.