Residents of Ireland’s remote Atlantic islands will begin taking to the polls today to cast the first votes in an historic abortion referendum.
The official vote on whether to reform some of the strictest termination laws in the western world is due to take place on Friday.
But around 2,000 people from the Atlantic outposts will cast their ballot a day early to help prevent delays in transportation and counting of ballot papers.
They are voting on whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment, which effectively outlaws abortion in all cases unless a mother’s life is in danger and considers the rights of the unborn child to be equal to that of the mother.
Its repeal would allow the Government to introduce laws permitting the procedure in early pregnancy.
Ballot boxes and electoral officials will be carried by boat from the mainland to counties Donegal, Galway and Mayo in Ireland’s far west later this morning.
In some cases whitewashed family cottages are repurposed as polling booths. Warm scones, hot tea and open fires often accompany the posting of the ballots.
