View source for Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2001

{{Short description|Proposed amendment to tighten the Irish constitutional ban on abortion}}
{{about|the government bill on abortion|the Sinn Féin bill on neutrality|List of failed amendments to the Constitution of Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox referendum
|name       = Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2001
|title      = To tighten the constitutional ban on abortion
|country    = Ireland
|date       = {{Start date|2002|03|06|df=y}}
|yes        = 618,485
|no         = 629,041
|total      = 1,254,175
|electorate = 2,923,918
}}
The '''Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001''' ([[bill (law)|bill]] no. 48 of 2001) was a [[List of failed amendments to the Constitution of Ireland|proposed amendment]] to the [[Constitution of Ireland]] to tighten the constitutional ban on abortion. It would have removed the threat of suicide as a grounds for legal abortion in the state, as well as introducing new penalties for anyone performing an abortion, by giving constitutional status to legislation proposed to be enacted after the amendment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oir.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=1630|title=Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill, 2001|publisher=Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas|access-date=13 October 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121063524/http://www.oir.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=1630|archive-date=21 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was narrowly rejected in a referendum held on 6 March 2002, with 50.4% against.

==Overview==
{{see also|Abortion in the Republic of Ireland|Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|X Case}}

In 1983 the [[Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|Eighth Amendment]] introduced a constitutional ban on [[abortion]] in Ireland. The [[X Case]] in 1992 established the right of Irish women to an abortion if a pregnant woman's life was at risk because of the pregnancy, including from the risk of suicide. [[November 1992 Irish constitutional referendum|Later in 1992]], three separate constitutional amendments on the subject of abortion were put to a vote. The [[Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1992|Twelfth Amendment Bill]], which would have excluded the risk of suicide as grounds for abortion was rejected. The [[Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|Thirteenth Amendment]], which guaranteed [[Freedom of movement|freedom of travel]] to obtain an abortion abroad, and the [[Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|Fourteenth Amendment]], which guaranteed access to information, were both approved.

The Twenty-fifth Amendment was a second attempt to exclude the risk of suicide as grounds for an abortion. It was introduced by the [[Fianna Fáil]]–[[Progressive Democrats]] coalition government led by [[Taoiseach]] [[Bertie Ahern]]. The government presented the amendment as one part of a comprehensive package of changes to address the issue of [[unintended pregnancy|crisis pregnancy]]. Among other measures it would have removed the threat of suicide as a grounds for legal abortion and also would have introduced new penalties of up to twelve years in jail for those performing or assisting abortions. Along with the government parties, the [[Catholic Church in Ireland|Catholic Church]] favoured the proposal. It was opposed by [[Fine Gael]], the [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]], the [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]] and [[Sinn Féin]]. The proposal was put to a referendum on 6 March 2002 but was narrowly rejected by 629,041 (50.4%) against to 618,485 (49.6%) in favour.

==Proposed changes==
The Twenty-fifth Amendment was more complex than the proposal that had been rejected in 1992. It provided that abortion would be regulated for by specific legislation that would be named in the text to be added to the Constitution. The legislation, the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act 2002, would be given the same protection as provisions of the Constitution, such that it could be amended only by referendum.

Article 40.3.3° reads
{{quote frame|3° The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.

This subsection shall not limit freedom to travel between the State and another state.

This subsection shall not limit freedom to obtain or make available, in the State, subject to such conditions as may be laid down by law, information relating to services lawfully available in another state.}}
The Twenty-fifth amendment would have ultimately added two sub-sections immediately following, as Article 40.3.4° and 40.3.5°:
{{quote frame|
4° In particular the life of the unborn in the womb shall be protected in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act 2002.

5° The provisions of section 2 of Article 46 and sections 1, 3 and 4 of Article 47 of this Constitution shall apply to any Bill passed or deemed to have been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas containing a proposal to amend the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act, 2002, as they apply to a Bill containing a proposal or proposals for the amendment of this Constitution and any such Bill shall be signed by the President forthwith upon his being satisfied that the Bill has been duly approved by the people in accordance with the provisions of section 1 of Article 47 of this Constitution and shall be duly promulgated by the President as a law.}}

The proposed text of 40.3.5° would have ensured that the provisions of Article 46 on Amendments to the Constitution and Article 47 on Referendums would apply to any amendment of this Act.

=== Proposed Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act===
The Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001 included the text of a proposed Act which would regulate the termination of pregnancy. It would have repealed [[Offences against the Person Act 1861#Abortion|Sections 58 and 59 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861]].

Section 1 defined abortion as "the intentional destruction by any means of unborn human life after implantation in the womb of a woman". It further stated that abortion did not include "the carrying out of a medical procedure by a medical practitioner at an approved place in the course of which or as a result of which unborn human life is ended where that procedure is, in the reasonable opinion of the practitioner, necessary to prevent a real and substantial risk of loss of the woman's life other than by self-destruction". This would have excluded the availability of abortion where there was a risk of life due to suicide.

Section 2 defined abortion as a criminal offence, subject to imprisonment of 12 years or a fine or both.

Section 3 protected conscientious objection.

Section 4 affirmed the freedom to travel and to obtain information about abortion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.refcom.ie/en/past-referendums/protection-of-human-life-in-pregnancy/information-booklet/|title=Information Booklet – Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill, 2001 – An Explanatory Booklet published by the Referendum Commission|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref>

===Amendment procedure===
It was intended that after the passage of the Twenty-fifth Amendment, the Oireachtas would enact the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act. The Amendment proposed to insert a number of temporary provisions in the Constitution to bridge the period between the enactment of the Twenty-fifth Amendment and subsequent enactment of the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act.

The Twenty-fifth Amendment proposed first to add Article 46.5. This section provided that if the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act were enacted, Article 46.5 would be omitted from every official text of the constitution, and the two new Articles 40.3.4° and 40.3.5° detailed above would be inserted. The Act would have to be in the form prescribed in the Schedule to the Amendment Bill. If no action was taken within 180 days then the whole constitutional amendment would cease to have effect. It also provided that the bill for the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act could not be [[Council of State (Ireland)#Referring of bills|referred]] by the [[President of Ireland|President]] to the [[Supreme Court (Ireland)|Supreme Court]] or to an [[ordinary referendum]] (as it would have just received the approval of the voters in a referendum). This conditional form of amendment followed a similar procedure to the amendment of [[Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution of Ireland|Articles 2 and 3]] in 1999 after the passage of the [[Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|Nineteenth Amendment]] in 1998.

==Passage through the Oireachtas==
The Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001 was proposed in the Dáil by [[Minister for Health (Ireland)|Minister for Health and Children]] [[Micheál Martin]] on 25 October 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/dail2001102500010|title=Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill, 2001: Order for Second Stage.|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref> It was approved by the Dáil on 5 December 2001:
{| class="wikitable width=40%"
|-
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" align="center" | Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage.<br />{{small|Absolute majority: 83/166}}
|- bgcolor="#D8D8D8"
| '''Vote'''
| '''Parties'''
| '''Votes'''
|-
|{{tick}} '''Yes''' || [[Fianna Fáil]] (66), [[Progressive Democrats]] (3), [[Independent politician|Independent]] (4), [[Independent Fianna Fáil]] (1) || {{Composition bar|74|166|hex=green}}
|-
| No || [[Fine Gael]] (47), [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] (19), [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]] (1), [[Sinn Féin]] (1), [[Socialist Party (Ireland)|Socialist Party]] (1), [[Independent politician|Independent]] (2) || {{Composition bar|71|166|hex=red}}
|-
| colspan="3" | Source: [http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/dail2001120500006 Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage.]
|-
|}

The Bill was approved by the Seanad on 13 December 2001:
{| class="wikitable width=40%"
|-
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" align="center" | Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001: Report and Final Stages.<br />{{small|Absolute majority: 31/60}}
|- bgcolor="#D8D8D8"
| '''Vote'''
| '''Parties'''
| '''Votes'''
|-
|{{tick}} '''Yes''' || [[Fianna Fáil]] (18), [[Progressive Democrats]] (3) || {{Composition bar|21|60|hex=green}}
|-
| No || [[Fine Gael]] (9), [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] (2), [[Independent politician|Independent]] (3) || {{Composition bar|14|60|hex=red}}
|-
| colspan="3" | Source: [http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/seanad2001121300007 Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001: Report and Final Stages.]
|-
|}

==Result==
The amendment was then put to a referendum on 6 March 2002, where it was rejected.
{{Referendum
|title      = Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland Bill 2002<ref name=Ref_results>{{cite web|url=http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/referendum_results_1937-2015.pdf|title=Referendum Results 1937–2015|page=70|access-date=2 August 2016|publisher=[[Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government]]}}</ref>
|no         = 629,041
|nopct      = 50.42
|yes        = 618,485
|yespct     = 49.58
|valid      = 1,247,526
|validpct   = 99.47
|invalid    = 6,649
|invalidpct = 0.53
|total      = 1,254,175
|turnoutpct = 42.89
|electorate = 2,923,918
}}
{{clear}}
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+Results by constituency<ref name=Ref_results/>
|-
! rowspan=2 | Constituency
! rowspan=2 | Electorate
! rowspan=2 | {{nowrap|Turnout (%)}}
! colspan=2 | Votes
! colspan=2 | Proportion of votes
|-
! Yes
! No
! Yes
! No
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 94,668
| style="text-align: right;" | 43.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''22,619'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 17,889
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''55.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 44.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cavan–Monaghan (Dáil constituency)|Cavan–Monaghan]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 86,865
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.7%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,171'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,956
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''66.0%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.0%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 77,519
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,498'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 12,780
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''57.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cork East (Dáil constituency)|Cork East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 70,122
| style="text-align: right;" | 43.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''16,897'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 13,281
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''56.0%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 44.0%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Cork North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork North-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 75,794
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 15,624
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,943'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.5%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''50.5%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cork North-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork North-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 50,367
| style="text-align: right;" | 45.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,175'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,749
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''61.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.2%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 92,322
| style="text-align: right;" | 47.5%
| style="text-align: right;" | 19,979
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,611'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 45.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''54.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cork South-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 51,531
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,527'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,931
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''53.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 46.3%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Donegal North-East (Dáil constituency)|Donegal North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 56,794
| style="text-align: right;" | 33.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''13,394'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 5,580
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''70.6%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 29.4%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Donegal South-West (Dáil constituency)|Donegal South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 53,443
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''12,084'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 6,001
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''66.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 33.2%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 62,925
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,178
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,634'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.0%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''59.0%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin North (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 72,175
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 12,877
| style="text-align: right;" | '''22,829'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''63.9%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 64,262
| style="text-align: right;" | 52.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,070
| style="text-align: right;" | '''19,473'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''58.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin North-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 60,015
| style="text-align: right;" | 50.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,763
| style="text-align: right;" | '''19,259'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''64.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin North-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 57,761
| style="text-align: right;" | 45.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,064
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,286'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.0%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''58.0%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 94,179
| style="text-align: right;" | 53.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | 17,451
| style="text-align: right;" | '''32,339'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''64.9%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 65,990
| style="text-align: right;" | 47.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | 12,241
| style="text-align: right;" | '''18,662'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.6%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''60.4%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 60,251
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,414
| style="text-align: right;" | '''19,558'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 32.5%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''67.5%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 82,070
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | 12,369
| style="text-align: right;" | '''21,933'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''63.9%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 80,757
| style="text-align: right;" | 45.5%
| style="text-align: right;" | 13,285
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,344'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.3%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''63.7%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 87,186
| style="text-align: right;" | 53.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,653
| style="text-align: right;" | '''31,476'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 31.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''68.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Galway East (Dáil constituency)|Galway East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 67,485
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''16,170'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,424
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''63.2%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.8%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Galway West (Dáil constituency)|Galway West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 84,258
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | 15,996
| style="text-align: right;" | '''16,101'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''50.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Kerry North (Dáil constituency)|Kerry North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 54,137
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,439'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,537
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''57.3%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.7%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Kerry South (Dáil constituency)|Kerry South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 49,527
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,392'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,759
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''59.5%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.5%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Kildare North (Dáil constituency)|Kildare North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 61,301
| style="text-align: right;" | 44.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,446
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,415'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.6%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''57.4%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Kildare South (Dáil constituency)|Kildare South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 52,386
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,110
| style="text-align: right;" | '''10,375'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.3%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''50.7%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Laois–Offaly (Dáil constituency)|Laois–Offaly]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 93,648
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,207'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,618
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''61.4%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.6%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Limerick East (Dáil constituency)|Limerick East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 81,136
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 16,485
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,890'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.0%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''52.0%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Limerick West (Dáil constituency)|Limerick West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 50,505
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.5%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''12,543'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,786
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''58.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Longford–Roscommon (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Roscommon]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 68,485
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,093'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,650
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''63.9%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.1%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 80,663
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,015'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 16,808
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''50.3%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.7%
|-
|style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Mayo (Dáil constituency)|Mayo]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 91,805
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''19,797'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 12,334
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''61.6%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.4%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Meath (Dáil constituency)|Meath]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 107,309
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''22,698'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 21,012
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''51.9%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.1%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–Leitrim]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 67,759
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.7%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,429'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,602
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''59.3%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.7%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Tipperary North (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 57,211
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,197'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,647
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''63.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.3%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Tipperary South (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 54,272
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''13,099'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,459
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''58.1%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.9%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Waterford (Dáil constituency)|Waterford]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 72,772
| style="text-align: right;" | 44.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | 15,873
| style="text-align: right;" | '''16,286'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.4%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''50.6%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Westmeath (Dáil constituency)|Westmeath]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 52,897
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,888'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,497
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''58.3%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.7%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Wexford (Dáil constituency)|Wexford]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 92,603
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''19,487'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 18,295
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''51.6%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.4%
|-
|style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 86,763
| style="text-align: right;" | 47.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | 16,788
| style="text-align: right;" | '''24,032'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''58.9%'''
|- class="sortbottom" style="font-weight:bold; background:rgb(232,232,232);"
|Total
| style="text-align: right;" | 2,923,918
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 618,485
| style="text-align: right;" | 629,041
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 50.4%
|}

==Aftermath==
No legislation on abortion followed this referendum. Eleven years later, under a [[Government of the 31st Dáil|coalition government]] of [[Fine Gael]] and the [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]], the [[Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013]] was enacted, which provided for abortion in circumstances where there was a real and substantial threat to life of the pregnant woman, including from a risk of suicide.

In 2018, the [[Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland]] was approved, allowing for abortion.

==Opinion polling==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center; line-height: 14px; font-size: 95%;"
|-
! style="width: 100px;" ! | Date(s)<br />conducted
! style="width: 300px;" |Polling organisation/client
! class="unsortable" style="background: rgb(0, 129, 66); width: 100px; color: white;" | Yes
! class="unsortable" style="background: rgb(220, 36, 31); width: 100px; color: white;" | No
! class="unsortable" style="background: gray; width: 90px; color: white;" | Would not vote
! class="unsortable" style="background: gray; width: 90px; color: white;" | No opinion
! class="unsortable" style="width: 80px;" | Lead
|-
| data-sort-value="2002-02-25"  | 25–26 Feb 2002 || MRBI/Irish Times<ref name="IT_March_2002"/> || style="background: rgb(153, 255, 153);"| '''35%'''  || 31%  || 11%  || 23% || style="background: rgb(0, 129, 66); color: white;" | 4%
|-
| data-sort-value="2002-01-21"  | 21–22 Jan 2002 || MRBI/Irish Times<ref name="IT_March_2002">{{cite news |title=Yes voters hold narrow majority but the electorate remains highly confused |author=Ian McShane |date=1 March 2002 |newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref> || style="background: rgb(153, 255, 153);"| '''39%'''  || 34%  || 6%  || 21% || style="background: rgb(0, 129, 66); color: white;" | 5%
|}

==See also==
*[[Abortion in the Republic of Ireland]]
*[[Politics of the Republic of Ireland]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2001/48/ Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001] Oireachtas debates and text of bill
**[http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/committeebasebyyear/2001?opendocument Committees - Coistí - 2001] Committee on Health and Children includes committee stage debates of the bill
*[http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/en/constitution/index.html Full text of the Constitution of Ireland]

{{Amendments of the Constitution of Ireland}}
{{Abortion in the Republic of Ireland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:25 Amendment Of The Constitution Of Ireland Bill 2002}}
[[Category:2002 in Irish law]]
[[Category:2002 in Irish politics]]
[[Category:2002 referendums]]
[[Category:Failed amendments of the Constitution of Ireland|25]]
[[Category:Irish abortion law|25]]
[[Category:Constitutional referendums in the Republic of Ireland|25]]
[[Category:Irish abortion referendums|25]]
[[Category:March 2002 in Ireland]]
[[Category:2000s elections in Ireland|Amendment, 25]]