Counting has begun in the Irish abortion referendum, couple of hours after exit polls indicated a landslide vote in favour of liberalising the law. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who supports the reforms, said I looked as if the country was about to “make history”. The official result is expected today evening. “Thank you to everyone who voted today. Democracy in action. It's looking like we will make history tomorrow,” Varadkar said yesterday in a tweet.
It is reported that people over 65 have voted mostly against overhauling the current legislation, which only allows terminations in cases where the mother's life is in danger. 87 per cent of young adults, between the age of 18-24 have voted to allow abortion. Ireland held an historic referendum on liberalising its abortion law, one of the strictest laws in Europe. The referendum vote to repeal the ban in the traditionally Catholic country has been predicted to win by a two-thirds majority. The death of an Indian-origin woman in 2012, has proved to be a tragic catalyst for the whole charade surround the legalisation of abortion. Savita Halappanavar is now the face of the 'Yes' campaign in the country.
The 31 year old Indian-origin dentist had sought a pregnancy termination when told she was miscarrying, however, the request was turned down due to Ireland's then strict anti-abortion laws. She later died of blood poisoning days after miscarrying in October of 2012. Savita's husband Praveen claimed that hospital staff told the couple that Ireland was “a Catholic country”, meaning an abortion would not be permitted. A report into Savita's death found multiple failures in the case she was offered, adding that the lack of clarity on when abortions could be legal were a “material contributory factor” in her death.
The incident further triggered the campaign and helped bring the country to a point where it is now voting in a referendum on liberalising abortion laws. The impact of the tragedy was such that it provoked protests it Dublin, Galway and Cork. It also prompted Catholic bishops to release a statement saying the church did not believe the right of an unborn child was more important than a woman's right to life. Partly in response to the death, the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act was passed in Ireland, setting out the circumstances in processes by which abortion can legally be performed. The Act also legalised abortion in cases where suicide by a pregnant woman is feared.
Savita's father said this week that he hopes voters will remember his daughter's death when they cast their ballots. “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. Andanappa Yalagi said, “It's still very emotional after five years, I think about her every day. She didn't get the medical treatment she needed because of the eighth amendment. They must change the law.”
