‘IT’S NOT A VOTE ON 12-WEEK LAW’

IF Ireland votes in favour of repealing the Eighth Amendment, there is no guarantee it will lead to abortion up to 12 weeks, the Referendum Commission has said.

The commission, the independent body set up to explain the referendum proposal, is also responsible for promoting public awareness and encouraging people to vote.

Yesterday it published its official printed guide, which is set to be distributed to every home across the country, and said there was an ‘urgent need for people to check the electoral register’ to ensure that they were on it.

In the commission’s booklet, it states that if the majority votes Yes, ‘this will allow the Oireachtas to pass laws regulating the termination of pregnancy’.

It continues: ‘These laws need not limit the availability of termination to circumstances where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother. Any law may be changed by the Oireachtas.

‘If challenged, any law may be declared invalid by the courts if it conflicts with the Constitution. If a majority votes Yes, the current law, including the law on travel and information, will remain in place unless and until it is changed by new law or is declared invalid by the courts.’

High Court judge Isobel Kennedy, the chairwoman of the watchdog, also reminded voters that they were not ‘being asked in this referendum to vote on any particular law relating to the termination of pregnancy’.

The commission is reminding the electorate that on May 25 they are being asked to vote on a proposal to delete Article 40.3.3 from the Constitution and to replace it with the following: ‘Provision may be made by law for the regulation of termination of pregnancy.’

‘If a majority votes No to the proposal, then the situation will remain in which laws may be passed to provide for the termination of pregnancy only where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother, including the risk of suicide.’

Judge Kennedy added: ‘This guide does not argue for a Yes vote or a No vote, but we do strongly encourage you to vote.’