A strong majority within the Citizen’s Assembly has voted in favour of changing the country’s abortion laws.
It has, however, voted that the Eighth Amendment should not be repealed.
The majority of Assembly members, 50 of the 91 who voted, want Article 40.3.3 of the constitution to be amended instead.
The article, known as the Eighth Amendment, gives the unborn child the equal right to life to that of the mother.
Earlier today, 87 per cent of the Assembly members voted that the article should not be retained in full.
The assembly will now vote for a third time today.
This vote will be on whether to let the Oireachtas legislate on the issue of abortion or on brining in a new constitutional restriction on abortion.
If the result of these votes are implemented by the Government, there will have to be a referendum to change the constitution.
More on this throughout the day.
