Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, speaking Saturday after exit polls suggested voters chose to liberalize Ireland’s strict abortion laws by a margin of more than two to one, called the result the culmination of a “quiet revolution.”

“The people have spoken,” said Varadkar, a medical doctor who campaigned for repeal in Friday’s historic referendum. Campaigners who have fought for more than three decades to remove the Eighth Amendment abortion ban from Ireland’s Constitution hailed the referendum vote as a major breakthrough for the largely Catholic nation. The exit polls are predictions only, with official results expected Saturday afternoon. (The Associated Press)

Voters asked whether to keep or repeal Eighth Amendment to Roman Catholic Ireland’s Constitution

Abortion rights activists proclaimed victory for Irish women Saturday as referendum results indicated voters in largely Roman Catholic Ireland overwhelmingly backed repealing a 1983 constitutional ban on abortions. The exits polls by state broadcaster RTE television and the Irish Times newspaper indicated approximately two-thirds of voters supported overturning one of the strictest abortion laws in the world. Northern Ireland's abortion laws are much stricter than the rest of the UK

The leader of Northern Ireland's centrist Alliance Party, Naomi Long, said it appeared to be an "incredible result" for the Yes campaign

Currently, abortion is only allowed when a woman's life is at risk, but not in cases of rape, incest or fatal foetal abnormality. I wasn’t always convinced, I just think down through the years the Catholic Church had too much of a say.”

The question on the ballot essentially asked voters whether to repeal the Irish constitution’s eighth amendment — which gives mother and the unborn an equal right to life — and give the parliament new responsibilities to legislate on abortion. The Irish Times and RTE television exit polls suggest the Irish people have voted to repeal a 1983 constitutional amendment that effectively bans abortions. If the government came up with something better I would have voted Yes,” said Patrick, a 21-year-old student who declined to give his full name, after voting in Dublin on Friday.
Ireland holds a referendum which will decide whether to repeal the constitutional prohibition of abortion. Exit polls suggest the results shall be 68% "yes" and 32% "no". The results will be released at 09:00 UTC tomorrow.