Individuals seek to overturn the “Yes” vote following Ireland’s referendum to make its abortion laws more liberal.
Three separate court challenges have been brought to the Irish High Court seeking to overturn the May 25 referendum result which saw the Irish public vote to repeal the Eighth Amendment and work toward making Ireland’s abortion laws more liberal.
Dublin woman Joanna Jordan, Co. Louth musician and piano teacher Charles Byrne and Ciaran Tracey, a retired public servant from Leitrim village, have filed separate challenges which claim those traveling home to vote did so illegally, that no voters were deregistered and that the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and Minister for Health made misleading statements during the referendum campaign. Both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health Simon Harris were campaigning for a Yes vote.
Read more: How will Ireland’s abortion laws change after the referendum?
Sunday Times News
— john burns (@JohnBurnsST) June 2, 2018
A woman whose legal challenge delayed the implementation of the 2012 children’s rights referendum for three years has launched High Court proceedings over the result of the abortion poll. #8thref #together4yes
Story by @marktigheST
Jordan, who campaigned in Dublin for the No side for 17 weeks before the referendum, claims that large numbers of potential no voters found that they were de-registered and not allowed to vote. She also makes claims that there was an unexplained upswing in the Yes vote, eluding to tampering with ballot boxes between the time voting closed on May 25 and when the tally began on the morning of May 26.
The Dubliner claimed that convents and nursing homes had been deregistered in this manner, while “thousands of young Irish citizens who were paid to return to vote” were not questioned on the 18-month residency rule when they came to polling stations. Irish citizens lose their right to vote after 18 months living outside of the country or when they intend to live abroad for more than 18 months.
Read more: U2 losing fans after coming out in support of abortion
High Court heard and dismissed two challenges to Marriage Referendum within a fortnight of polling. Challenge by Joanna Jordan won’t delay post-#8thRef laws if heard within that timescale. If it gets appealed further up the line, though...
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) June 2, 2018
In the second challenge, Byrne believes that misstatements were made by Varadkar and Harris during the campaign and that the Referendum Commission’s information campaign and booklet also failed to provide the truth of the proposal being voted on.
The Referendum Commission is also challenged by Tracey who states that politicians campaigning for a yes vote played upon the sympathies of the Irish public.
A third separate bid to challenge the 8th amendment referendum result has just come before the High Court. Will send updated story shortly. Two of the cases are critical of the Referendum Commission's input. @IrishTimes
— Mary Carolan (@MaryCarolanIT) June 5, 2018
The three cases have been adjourned until Monday, June 11. Jordan previously managed to delay the result of the 2012 Children's Referendum with a challenge that lasted three years.
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