In just over three weeks, the country will go to the polls for another referendum as we’re asked to vote on the hugely emotive issue of the 8th Amendment.
This is an issue which has been voted on in various guises in the past.
In 1983, a Referendum on the 8th Amendment, Right to Life of Unborn went before the people.
The referendum was carried by a significant majority, by 66.9% in favour and 33.1% against.
In Laois/Offaly there was an even higher majority in favour, 77.8% voting in favour while 22.2% voted against the amendment.
In the build up to the referendum, there was considerable debate on the wording of it.
Eventually, the Dáil agreed to the following wording: “The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.”
While there was a strong majority in favour of the referendum amendment, five constituencies – all in Dublin – voted against the amendment. Dún Laoghaire (58%) had the highest no vote, along with Dublin North-East, South, South-East, and South-West.
Underlining the acrimonious nature of the Referendum, the Leinster Express editorial called it the “most divisive and dangerous referendum ever held in the history of this country”.
Unsurprisingly, the late Oliver J. Flanagan was outspoken in his pro-life view during a discussion in the Dáil.
“Any amendment to Article 41 of the Constitution which would deny the right to life of the unborn from the moment of conception would be gravely wrong. I am only putting forward the teachings of the Church to which I belong. If I need guidance on matters of public morality I seek if from those who are qualified to give it.
“Either the present Attorney General or any other holder of that office would be the last person that I would go to if I needed such guidance. I would reject any law that would permit abortion in cases of rape or of deformity of the unborn or that would deny the equal right to life of both the child and the mother,” he said
“I am answerable to the people who elected me whom I promised to safeguard and protect the life of the unborn. I will not welsh or renege on that promise even if I am to be alone. I will stand up to defend the life of the unborn.
“I do so as a public representative with the grave responsibility of contributing to public morality to the best of my ability as a Member of Parliament. I want this to go on record so that every member of my party will know where I stand. There is no way in which I will vote for the right of a Parliament to introduce abortion. It is all the same to me who brings in the Bill; I am only concerned with the principle of the Bill and with safeguarding the life of the unborn. To play politics with an issue of this kind is bringing us to very low depths,” he said.
SEE ALSO – Referendum Watch: How Laois/Offaly voted in the 1986 Marriage Referendum
