History for Ireland as 8th Amendment to be repealed today in landslide victory for 'yes' side

It's a historic day for Ireland today as the Eighth Amendment is set to be repealed thanks to a landslide majority of voters deciding to legalise abortion at the polls yesterday.

Exit polls last night showed that 69.2 per cent of people who voted ticked the box for repeal, with just 30.8 per cent voting to save the Eighth Amendment. The huge numbers of young people who turned out across the country to vote was a key factor in the 'yes' side winning so overwhelmingly.

A poll conducted by Behaviour & Attitudes for RTE showed that more than 72 per cent of women were in favour of repeal, while 66 per cent of men also voted that way. In Leinster, the yes vote is expected to be around 69.2 per cent, while in Dublin it has soared to 79 per cent.

An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, a campaigner for the 'yes' side, expressed his delight at the outcome of the referendum last night.

"Thank you to everyone who voted today. Democracy in action. It’s looking like we will make history tomorrow," he said.

The final polls could be released this afternoon, but it is certain that the Eighth Amendment will be repealed.