Irish Abortion Referendum: Irish PM plans to move quickly on legal abortion

The prime minister of Ireland says the passage of a referendum paving the way for legalized abortions is a historic day for his country and a great act of democracy.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said after official results showed more than two-thirds of voters backed repealing Ireland’s constitutional abortion ban that he wants to make sure there are fewer crisis pregnancies and better sex education in schools going forward.

Varadkar had supported repeal and said his government will move quickly to establish new legislation to govern legal abortions.

He said: “I said in recent days that this was a once in a generation vote. Today I believe we have voted for the next generation.”

Varadkar added: “The wrenching pain of decades of mistreatment of Irish women cannot be unlived. However, today we have ensured that it does not have to be lived again.”