It’s a landslide.
While the votes for the European and local elections are still being counted at polling stations across the country, the results of the divorce referendum have been made official.
Ireland narrowly voted to legalise divorce back in 1995, with a result of 50.28% for and 49.72% against. The most recent referendum, which removes the constitutional requirement for a four year period where in the couple must live apart, has passed with no fewer than 82.1% of the votes falling on the Yes side.
The result was made official in an announcement at Dublin Castle in the early hours of Sunday morning. The issue will now be for the Oireachtas to legislate, but it has been proposed that the waiting period will be reduced to two years.
The change will also make it easier for the Irish state to recognise foreign divorces.
Every county returned a Yes vote in favour of the amendment. The highest No vote recorded was in Monaghan, but even that came in at a small 24%.
The highest Yes vote was in the Dublin constituency of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, where 86.7% voted in favour of the proposal. The number was similarly high in Fingal, where 86.4% of people voted Yes.
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