Minister for Health Simon Harris said the result of the referendum in his home constituency of Wicklow had shattered the idea of an urban/rural divide in Ireland.
Mr Harris visited the count centre at the Shoreline Leisure Centre in his home town of Greystones.
“The idea that there are two Irelands, an urban Ireland and a rural Ireland, has been somewhat shattered today,” he said.
There was a Yes vote right across Wicklow, with little difference between urban and rural centres.
Mr Harris said that women travelling to the UK for terminations have come from rural areas, small towns, large towns and big cities.
“Rural people and urban people have thought through these issues. A lot of men, including myself, have been thinking if it was a woman in our life - my wife, my mother, my sister, my niece. If it was your daughter, how would you want that person to be looked after?
“A lot of men have been asking themselves that question. I’m encouraged to see that every part of Ireland and almost every age group have voted Yes.”
Mr Harris said the country was failing women experiencing crisis pregnancies as long as the Eighth Amendment remained in the Constitution.
“If you can find anybody today who said they were expecting this majority, I’d love to meet them. I don’t think anybody was expecting this margin,’ he said. “I’ve always said that Irish people are innately decent and compassionate and it does show that.”
Turnout was high across the county, with numbers ranging from 70 per cent to 80 per cent.
The atmosphere was relaxed in the centre prior to the opening of the boxes. The vast majority of observers present were from the Yes campaign, with a number of No campaigners also present.
