The Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis has voted against a motion to support repealing Ireland’s Eighth Amendment.
The country is scheduled to have a referendum on repealing the amendment, which effectively renders the government incapable of passing legislation that would allow Irish women access to abortion, some time in 2018.
Two motions on the Eighth Amendment were put before the Ard Fheis today, one in favour of supporting the repeal movement, and one in favour of supporting the movement to maintain the eighth.
Gavan Reilly reported on Twitter that the motion to support repealing the eighth failed, and that the motion to support maintaining the amendment passed — and that both verdicts were met with applause.
Motion 9 (supporting repeal of 8th Amendment) defeated, an outcome met with applause #ffardfheis17 pic.twitter.com/cdbzWO3JPr
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) October 14, 2017
Motion 11 (in favour of maintaining 8th Amendment) is carried by a similar margin of about 5 or 6 to 1. Again applauded #ffardfheis17 pic.twitter.com/540AR9ZrgK
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) October 14, 2017
It has been pointed out that Fianna Fáil’s representatives in Dáil Éireann and the Seanad will have a free vote regardless of how the Ard Fheis has voted — nevertheless, it is a major statement from Ireland’s second largest party to come out against the referendum.
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