Referendum Date Set for The Eight Amendment

Since the Dáil vote saw a majority of TDs vote to repeal the Eight Amendment - which in Irish law, states that the unborn’s right to life is equal to the life of the mother - the Irish people have been waiting anxiously for a set date to attend the polls. Many voiced concerns that a June vote would see huge numbers of young Irish people being out of the country on working visas or post-exam getaways. But the government have now confirmed that the referendum will take place on the 25th of May.

This confirmation comes off the back of last night’s announcement that the government have also taken the first steps in preparing for the referendum itself. The draft bill proposed to ministers dealt with three clauses.

Firstly, that Article 40.3.3. - the equal right to life for both the unborn and the mother - be repealed and replaced. Secondly that this will be the 36th change to the Constitution and thirdly, the wording of the question that will be pitched to the public where the Eight Amendment will be repealed and the Oireachtas will allow for termination of pregnancy in Irish law.

Irish public will see the finalised document Dáil will receive the full bill on International Woman’s Day, the 8th of March

This is the latest update to come out of the Eight Amendment discussion, following the statement from the Oireachtas that they could not find a medical expert in the country who could successfully argue for keeping the Eight. Catherine Noone stated that “the committee secretariat were in touch with many people, to my knowledge both suggested by the committee and otherwise. Nobody was willing to come forward, none who were experts in this country. There was no single GP who offered, or any way indicated, that they wanted the status quo to remain.”

Having been accused by Cora Sherlock, deputy chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign who said that the committee were “biased” in their discussion, Noone responded with “what else would they say?”