On International Missing Children's day, Ireland votes on abortion
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Ireland votes on the right to life.
The result is expected tomorrow afternoon
Today, 25 May, the people of Ireland are voting on whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment, which recognises the equal right to life of the unborn, and legislate for abortion. Today is also recognised as International Missing Children's Day.
The latest polls indicate that many people - 14% to 20% of the total, enough to sway the result - are still undecided on which way to vote. SaveThe8th have thanked everyone who has been out campaigning, and emphasised that people need to get out and vote no, and bring everyone they know along to vote no as well.
London Irish for Life gave us 5 tips on what people in the UK can do to help save the eighth amendment. The main things that can still be done today are to speak to family and friends in Ireland and ask them to vote no, to pray, and to spread the message on social media.
Home to vote
There is a lot of attention on social and traditional media to the #hometovote hashtag - people travelling home to Ireland to cast their vote. Much of the attention is on those voting to repeal, but there is also coverage of pro-lifers going home to vote no. For example, Suzanne Conway of London Irish United for Life, is quoted in the Evening Standard: "I will be voting No because I believe that there is an obvious right to life before birth and the Eighth Amendment is simply the only protection that is safeguarding this right," she said."If the Eighth Amendment were to be repealed, the protection for babies in the womb would then be removed."
The group are also sharing photos and videos of those going home to vote no on facebook and twitter.
When will the result be announced?
According to the Irish Journal, before midnight, RTÉ will announce the result of its exit poll from Behaviour & Attitudes, which will will give a strong indication of the result. Counting will start at 9am tomorrow, and throughout the afternoon, the results from each constituency will be announced from Dublin Castle. The paper expects the final result by 4pm, although the individual counts coming in might make the overall outcome clear before then.
News in brief: