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Count Day: Referendum As It Happened

Count Day: Referendum As It Happened

Welcome to the Beat 102 103 Referendum Count Day Live Blog. Stay tuned for all the latest news throughout the day.

6.40PM

On the day that Ireland voted to repeal the eighth amendment from the constitution, our news team put together a referendum special to see how the south east voted and to gauge the reactions from the two campaigns in the region.

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6.20PM

IRELAND HAS VOTED TO REPEAL THE 8TH AMENDMENT

The national vote has finally come through and Ireland has voted emphatically to repeal the eighth amendment. With a national turnout of 64.1% which is 3.6% higher than the marriage referendum turnout in 2015.

1,429,981 people voted to Yes to repeal the eighth amendment of the constitution, 66.4% of the vote.

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723,632 people voted No to retain the eighth amendment, 33.6% of the vote.

The government will now bring legislation through the Oireachtas to replace the eighth amendment within the next six months according to An Taoiseach Leo Varadker.

6.00PM

Reports suggesting now that Dublin Castle have the results from Cork East, Donegal and Sligo Leitrim and will announce the national result first.

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5.15PM

We'll get there eventually sure.

5.05PM

Awaiting results now in Cork East, Donegal and Sligo Leitrim. Reports suggest that the national result will be announced before the Cork East vote. More updates as they come in.

4.35PM

DUBLIN BAY SOUTH - YES

Dublin Bay South have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 78.5% Yes, 21.5% No.

4.30PM

KERRY - YES

Kerry have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 58.3% Yes, 41.7% No.

DUBLIN MID WEST - YES

Dublin Mid West have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 73.3% Yes, 26.7% No.

4.25PM

CORK SOUTH WEST - YES

Cork South West have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 64.5% Yes, 35.5% No.

4.20PM

MAYO - YES 

Mayo have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 57.1% Yes, 42.9% No.

4.15PM

CORK NORTH WEST - YES

Cork North West have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 60.1% Yes, 39.9% No.

CAVAN MONAGHAN - YES 

Cavan Monaghan have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 55.5% Yes, 44.5% No.

4.05PM

DUBLIN BAY NORTH - YES

Dubin Bay North have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 74.7% Yes, 25.3% No.

DUBLIN FINGAL - YES

Dublin Fingal have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 77% Yes, 23% No.

DUBLIN WEST - YES

Dublin West have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 74% Yes, 26% No.

DUBLIN NORTH WEST - YES

Dublin North West have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 73.1% Yes, 26.9% No.

DUBLIN SOUTH WEST - YES

Dublin South West have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 74.9% Yes, 25.1% No.

DUBLIN RATHDOWN - YES

Dublin Rathdown have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 76.1% Yes, 23.9% No.

LONGFORD/WESTMEATH - YES

Longford/Westmeath have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 58.3% Yes, 41.7% No.

3.45PM

DÚN LAOGHAIRE - YES

Dún Laoghaire have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 77.1% Yes, 22.9% No.

DUBLIN BAY NORTH - YES

Dublin Bay North have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 74.7% Yes, 25.3% No.

 3.25PM

MEATH EAST - YES 

Meath East have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 69.2% Yes, 30.8% No.

MEATH WEST - YES 

Meath West have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 64% Yes, 36% No.

ROSCOMMON/GALWAY - YES

Roscommon/Galway have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 57.2% Yes, 42.8% No.

GALWAY WEST - YES 

Galway West have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 65.9% Yes, 34.1% No.

3.20PM

LOUTH - YES

Louth have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 66.6% Yes, 33.4% No.

LIMERICK CITY - YES

Limerick City have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 66.9% Yes, 33.1% No.

3.15PM

KILDARE NORTH - YES

Kildare North have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 73.6% Yes, 26.4% No.

3.10PM

OFFALY - YES

Offaly have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 58.1% Yes, 41.9% No.

DUBLIN NORTH WEST - YES 

Dublin North West have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 73.1% Yes, 26.9% No.

https://twitter.com/NoelRock/status/1000377466576359425

3.00PM

KILDARE SOUTH - YES

Kildare South have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 70.7% Yes, 29.3% No.

https://twitter.com/Fiona_Kildare/status/1000375619161657344

LIMERICK COUNTY - YES

Limerick County have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 58.1% Yes, 41.9% No.

https://twitter.com/TPSpencer88/status/1000375822799265792

CLARE - YES

Clare have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 64.3% Yes, 35.7% No.

https://twitter.com/ClareForYes/status/1000375554586169344

2.55PM

TIPPERARY - YES 

Tipperary have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 59.1% Yes, 40.9% No.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000376235405475840

https://twitter.com/alankellylabour/status/1000375315766697984

https://twitter.com/TipperaryForYes/status/1000375083012100096

2.50PM

WEXFORD - YES 

Wexford have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 68.4% Yes, 31.6% No.

https://twitter.com/malcolmbyrne/status/1000373825765302274

2.45PM

LAOIS - YES

Laois have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 61.4% Yes, 38.6% No.

https://twitter.com/ashalinggg/status/1000372834793918464

2.30PM

WICKLOW - YES 

Wicklow have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 74.3% Yes, 25.7% No.

https://twitter.com/antaineeoin/status/1000369723295567878

2.25PM

CARLOW/KILKENNY - YES

Carlow/Kilkenny have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 63.5% Yes, 36.5% No.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000365966675542017

https://twitter.com/saloreilly/status/1000367759291830273

2.20PM

WATERFORD - YES

Waterford are the first south east constituency to declare and have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 69.4% Yes, 30.6%  No.

https://twitter.com/davidcullinane/status/1000367060801728512

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000366923023077376

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000376846951870470

2.10PM

#DoggiesLoveDemocracy

https://twitter.com/pdquinn7/status/1000362312841203713

1.50PM

https://twitter.com/SealGriffin/status/1000356600513744897

https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1000358197889204225

1.45PM

CORK NORTH CENTRAL - YES

Cork North Central have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 64% Yes, 36% No.

https://twitter.com/SeanDefoe/status/1000356887651643393

1.40PM

CORK SOUTH CENTRAL - YES

Cork South Central have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 68.8% Yes, 31.2% No.

https://twitter.com/Together4yes/status/1000356334599114753

1.35PM

DUBLIN CENTRAL - YES

Dublin Central have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 76.5% Yes, 23.5% No.

https://twitter.com/SocDems/status/1000355166758064129

1.30PM

GALWAY EAST - YES

Galway East have voted to repeal the eighth amendment - 60.2% Yes, 39.8% No.

https://twitter.com/PlunkettCiara/status/1000353231481040896

1.20PM 

All ballot boxes have been opened in Tipperary at this stage and  ‪52.5% of votes have been tallied. ‬The Yes side are holding a strong lead with 58.5%‬ of the vote while the No side sit on 41.5 %.
1.15PM

The Health Minister says he will ask the cabinet on Tuesday for permission to draft the legislation. Simon Harris he would like to see the legislation introduced to the Oireachtas in the autumn.

The leader of Fianna Fáil has reassured voters that his party won't try to block abortion legislation when it's introduced by the Government. Micheál Martin found himself at odds with many party members when he backed a 'yes' vote - but he's told reporters they're on the same page now while the Labour leader has described the projected results as 'overwhelming' and 'beyond our wildest dreams.'

Wexford TD Brendan Howlin says there's now no reason why the Houses of the Oireachtas can't bring in legislation 'within weeks.'

https://twitter.com/jonathanhealy/status/1000345367433695234

1.10PM

Carlow Kilkenny Fianna Fáil TD John McGuiness says the result today is a ‘turn up for the books’. Final tallies show 63 percent of the electorate voted yes. Deputy McGuiness - who campaigned on the No side - said it is important the views of everyone are respected.

https://twitter.com/seanohargain/status/1000342147835531264

12.50PM

In Tipperary, the No campaign have left the count centre.

In the RDS, Health Minister Simon Harris is receiving a lot of praise for his role in the Yes campaign.

https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1000342779413848064

12.40PM

35.1% of boxes have now been tallied in Tipperary with Yes leading with 58.4% of the vote.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000340843511910402

Celebrations have begun in Waterford.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000341178892595200

A leading pro-life campaigner in Donegal, Mary T. Sweeney, has accused the government of lying in a bid to repeal the 8th amendment.

The latest tally in Donegal sees a 'No' vote leading by 53 percent with less than 40 boxes to count.

https://twitter.com/ARCDonegal/status/1000312649815678976

Meanwhile, An Taoiseach Leo Varadker has reacted calling the vote "the culmination of a quiet revolution."

https://twitter.com/JulietteGash/status/1000337286364565504

https://twitter.com/jonathanhealy/status/1000338848952569856

12.30pm

Wexford Together For Yes have begun their celebrations as the tally there shows a clear Yes vote.

Final tally figures show 69 percent of the Constituency voted yes with 31 percent voting no.

The Village of Bree outside Enniscorthy returned one of the lowest yes votes across the County at 55 percent.

This is the local area of Junior Minister Paul Kehoe who didn't publicly declare his stance on the issue.

John Mullins, Chairperson of the Co. Wexford Pro Life Campaign called it "a dark day."

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000335758027345920

In Tipperary, local politicians are gathering to celebrate a Yes vote where counting has officially begun.

https://twitter.com/Conorkane1974/status/1000330895985868800

While in Monaghan, spokesperson for the No campaign John McGuirk has described his home village in Monaghan voting yes as a "candle in the dark."

https://twitter.com/john_mcguirk/status/1000335457388060672

12.20PM

The Health Minister says today is a historic day for Ireland and its women. An emotional Simon Harris says never again will Irish women need to travel to the UK for abortion services.

https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1000331583063298048

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has also reacted to today's vote.

https://twitter.com/Stephen_Murphy5/status/1000333381295656962

Locally, counting has officially begun in Carlow/Kilkenny.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000334055253200896

Meanwhile in traditionally conservative Donegal, the No side are edging the lead on 52% of the vote.

https://twitter.com/NiallColbert1/status/1000331488683053062

 12.00pm

John O'Leary, No campaigner and Fianna Fáil councillor spoke to Beat reporter Alana and said "the Yes side came out very strongly about the hard cases. People took it on board that in order to include and encompass the hard cases that the only alternative was to vote Yes."

There's now a strong chance that every constituency in the country may vote Yes to repealing the 8th amendment.

Tallies are showing a strong trend towards yes.

In the Dublin City it's unanimous - with possibly the strongest yes vote in the country coming in Rathmines where it was 87% yes.

In Dublin county overall it's 3-to-1 Yes vote.

It's tight in Donegal with the No side leading 51 - 49

With over half of boxes open in Kerry it looks like a 58% yes vote.

The Cork city centres are looking like a 2-1 yes, with the same result likely in Carlow Kilkenny

Across Wexford three quarters of boxes are open with no urban/rural divide and a clear yes on the cards

The trend nationwide is a Yes vote, and an emphatic Yes vote.

https://twitter.com/Ruairi_Casey/status/1000326977218318336

https://twitter.com/Gailiana/status/1000328215527919616

https://twitter.com/pdquinn7/status/1000329291320750080

11.40AM

Speaking to Beat reporter Dean, Carlow/Kilkenny Fianna Fáil TD Bobby Aylward said although he advocated a No vote, he was expecting the result to be Yes but said "you have to go along with the will of people and that's what democracy is all about."

The final tally from Carlow from 10,311 votes was 6,499 Yes and 3,812 No.

In Kilkenny, the final tally out of 27,422 votes was 17,283 Yes and 10,139 No.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000324362682208256

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000325738552324097

In Wexford, Fianna Fáil TD James Browne, who stayed neutral on the issue has tweeted his reaction to the result.

https://twitter.com/JamesBrowneTD/status/1000324785539289088

In Tipperary with 22.5% of votes tallied the Yes side lead 59.2% to 40.8%.

https://twitter.com/Debbie_Ridgard/status/1000325487560978432

11.20AM

Sinn Féin TD Kathleen Funchion and Fianna Fáil TD Bobby Aylward are both in attendance in the Carlow/Kilkenny count centre this morning. Tallies now showing a 62.7% lead for the Yes side.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000318086132748289

https://twitter.com/pdquinn7/status/1000315795153608705

In Tipperary 15.6% of boxes have been tallied with the Yes side earning 59.2% of the vote while the No side are on 40.8%.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000317738307477505

All boxes in Waterford have now been opened. Tallies are showing a 72% Yes vote in the city with a 69% Yes vote in the county.

https://twitter.com/davidcullinane/status/1000320180566806528

https://twitter.com/JohnHalligan/status/1000319112424419330

11.00AM

Donegal, which has always been a typically conservative county,  have the No side edging the lead after 100 boxes opened.

https://twitter.com/NiallColbert1/status/1000312905743716352

Meanwhile, Waterford Together for Yes campaigners have already begun celebrations.

https://twitter.com/Gailiana/status/1000314359531343872

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000315265257631749

10.50AM

In Waterford, a third of boxes have been opened with 72% voting Yes in the city versus a 28% No vote. In the county it's 69% Yes and 31% No.

https://twitter.com/JohnHalligan/status/1000308846508814336

Meanwhile, Minister for Health Simon Harris has arrived in the Wicklow count centre.

https://twitter.com/AndrewLowth1/status/1000309478997348352

10.40AM

The Save the 8th campaign have conceded releasing the following statement. Cora Sherlock, of Love Both has described it as a "sad day for Ireland."

https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1000309605178707968

In Waterford, the USI have celebrated a strong student vote.

https://twitter.com/Gailiana/status/1000310029264785408

 10.30AM

Tallies in Tipperary showing a strong Yes vote so far with 8% of boxes tallied showing 60.5% in favour of repeal while 39.5% are against.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000309676167319552

https://twitter.com/Colmogorman/status/1000298594380013568

10.20AM

Yes campaigner Dr. Peter Boylan has arrived in the RDS to loud cheers. He's called the vote a "watershed moment."

https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1000304316782137346

 10.10AM

In Wexford, Labour leader Brendan Howlin is attending the tally. He told Beat reporter Robbie that the rural/urban divide in Ireland "doesn't seem to be the case" in this referendum, saying that every part of Ireland has voted "very clearly, very emphatically to repeal the eighth amendment." He's called the vote "a sign of real maturity."

https://twitter.com/BrendanHowlin/status/1000298623882711040

10.00AM

So far in Tipperary seven boxes have been tallied with a 60.3% Yes vote and a 39.7% No vote.

Meanwhile, Kilkenny boxes have been opened in the Carlow/Kilkenny count centre.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000299500861378561

9.50AM

Counting is underway but many on the No side of the debate have already conceded.

In Dublin with 10 per cent of boxes open across 5 city constituencies YES is leading 4-to-1. Dublin Bay South is almost 80 per cent Yes with a quarter of boxes open.

Both city constituencies in Cork are 2-to-1 in favour of repeal at the moment.

Boxes opened in Donegal just after 10 past 9 and in the traditionally conservative constituency the No side leads 55 to 45 at the moment.

With 40 of the 213 boxes open in Kerry it's 58 per cent in favour of YES.

Waterford is 2-to-1 yes at the moment with Limerick City the same and Limerick County reporting 57 per cent in favour of repeal.

Galway West shows 63 per cent yes at the moment.

While in the commuter belt Meath East is 3-to-1 yes and Meath West is showing 68 per cent in favour of repeal.

In Carlow with 75 per cent of boxes open it's 64 per cent yes.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000296918847836160

9.40AM

Beat reporter Alana is in Waterford.

Ballot boxes are opening and the results of yesterday’s referendum regarding the 8thAmendment to the Constitution all hang in the balance here at the Waterford Count Centre.

Both the yes and no sides are eagerly waiting to find out the results of the Waterford count which has just kicked off this morning.

According to last night’s exit poll conducted by RTÉ and The Irish Times, Yes will have a 68% outcome nationwide, while the No vote will reach 32%.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000296544996818944

Meanwhile in Carlow/Kilkenny three miraculous religious medals have been found in a ballot box.

https://twitter.com/pdquinn7/status/1000294401107734528

9.30AM

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000291037892497408

https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1000293225901551616

 

9.20AM

https://twitter.com/Stephen_Murphy5/status/1000290349883981824

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000290733755166721

9.10AM

Pro-life campaigners have been among the first to react to result predictions.

'Love Both' say they 'paint a bleak picture' paving the way for 'abortion on demand'.

They've also called on the Taoiseach to hold to his promise that repeal would only lead to abortion in very restrictive circumstances.

Leo Varadkar meanwhile has Tweeted to thank everyone who voted to make 'history'.

https://twitter.com/campaignforleo/status/1000143387109089280

9.00AM

Counting has officially begun in the abortion referendum.

Ballot boxes are being opened across the country with the exit polls saying it'll be a landslide yes vote.

The process of counting the votes from what looks like an exceptionally high turnout is underway and we should have a good idea if the exit polls are right before midday.

An official result is likely to come in the late afternoon.

Last night's two opinion polls are predicting a landslide victory for the Yes side.

Both the Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI and the RTÉ Behaviour and Attitudes polls say it will break almost 70-30 in favour of repealing the 8th amendment.

The figures suggest every age demographic with the exception of the over 65s voted heavily Yes.

Almost 9 in 10 people aged between 18 and 24 voted in favour of repeal.

In Dublin the repeal vote was strongest but the figures say it will comfortably pass in every province.

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000285800968441856

https://twitter.com/beat102103/status/1000286361423761408

 8.50AM

Tallys are due to begin at count centres across the country at 9am.

 

https://twitter.com/DBNRepeal/status/1000329614059802624

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