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The first Repeal exit poll has been released… and it looks like good news

Published 22:10 25 May 2018 BST

Updated 22:35 25 May 2018 BST

Gillian Fitzpatrick

The first Repeal exit poll has been released… and it looks like good news

Ireland witnessed a historic day on Friday.

The entire country went to the polling stations - to vote to either repeal or retain the 8th Amendment. And with record-breaking turnout reported in many constituencies, the first exit poll has now been released. Compiled by the Irish Times, it says that Ireland is en route to Repeal... with a landslide victory being reported. In short - it looks like Ireland will shortly be making abortion freely available to women. YES!

"Ireland has voted by a landslide margin to change the constitution so that abortion can be legalised, according to an exit poll conducted for The Irish Times by Ipsos/MRBI," the newspaper reported.

The exit poll result stands as such:

YES 68 percent
NO 32 percent

https://twitter.com/IpsosMRBI/status/1000120875306405888 A total of 4,000 voters were interviewed as they left polling stations on Friday. In response, the Social Democrats said it was "encouraged" by the poll. Commenting, the party’s co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said:

"The exit poll results are strongly indicating that voters have taken on board the clear message that the 8th Amendment harms women and must be removed from our Constitution. "While we await the counting of votes tomorrow, we are very encouraged by these early signals showing that Irish people have understood the need to vote Yes so that we can provide women with the healthcare they need in a compassionate, caring and medically safe system."

https://twitter.com/IpsosMRBI/status/1000124089074442240 Ms Murphy added: "Social Democrats volunteers and activists who will be present in count centres around the country today are hopeful that these results signal that significant and positive change is within our grasp."

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