A strong majority within the Citizen’s Assembly has voted in favour of changing the country’s abortion laws.
It has, however, voted that the Eighth Amendment should not be repealed.
The majority of Assembly members, 50 of the 91 who voted, want Article 40.3.3 of the constitution to be amended instead.
The article, known as the Eighth Amendment, gives the unborn child the equal right to life to that of the mother.
Earlier today, 87 per cent of the Assembly members voted that the article should not be retained in full.
The assembly will now vote for a third time today.
This vote will be on whether to let the Oireachtas legislate on the issue of abortion or on brining in a new constitutional restriction on abortion.
If the result of these votes are implemented by the Government, there will have to be a referendum to change the constitution.
Many on Twitter were left disappointed by the news.
https://twitter.com/KarinCarthy/status/855793408195088385
FFS
What the hell ! Just repeal the dam thing
#CitizensAssembly— Lisa McHugh (@LisaFMcHugh) April 22, 2017
Dreadful result on ballot 2 44% for repeal,56% to amend or replace 40.3.3 Unsurpised given utter confusion of advice given #CitizensAssembly
— Colm O'Gorman 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🇮🇪 (@Colmogorman) April 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/DelsolClaire/status/855791185683767300
Well done Ireland, you've made a pig's mickey out of it yet again. #CitizensAssembly
— 🤪Ronnie Rí Rá🤪 (@thornton_ronnie) April 22, 2017
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