Marie Stopes UK statement on the results of the Irish referendum

Following the landslide victory in Ireland of the vote Yes campaign to repeal the 8th Amendment, a spokesperson for Marie Stopes UK said:

 “This is a huge turning point in the history of Ireland, and sends a clear message that its leaders must work quickly to remove restrictions that have caused stress and suffering for countless women and girls.

“Currently, around 1,500 women each year travel from the Republic of Ireland to our clinics in England for treatment. It isn’t right that women have to cross a sea to receive safe, legal abortion care, and we hope this vote will be the first step on the longer journey of addressing this.

“This is a vote of trust in women to make the decisions that are right for them and their families. It is vital that politicians, whatever their own views, respect that and act accordingly to bring about much-needed change.”