Longford Westmeath voters have rowed in behind the country’s overwhelming decision to remove the Eighth Amendment from Ireland’s Constitution by an overall 58 per cent majority.
The announcement was made by Returning Officer Imelda Brannigan at St Dominic's Community Centre in Kenagh on Saturday afternoon.
Both ends of the constituency voted in favour of repeal, pouring cold water on suggestions from earlier in the day which indicated that Longford might buck the national trend and return a No vote.
As it transpired, an estimated 54 per cent of the electorate voted in favour of repeal with 46 per cent opting against.
The margin was more clear cut in Westmeath where a projected 58 per cent of voters giving their backing to the Eighth Amendment’s repeal and just 42 per cent signalled their desire for its retention.
The only surprise, if there was one, was the slightly lower than anticipated turnout of 59 per cent, compared to the 65 per cent national average.
