Eighth Amendment: One hurdle passed, so what’s next?

While Solidarity-People Before Profit TD, Brid Smith, heralded yesterday’s decision as “the beginning of the end of the Eighth Amendment”, the reality is more complicated, says Fiachra Ó Cionnaith.

While Solidarity-People Before Profit TD, Brid Smith, heralded yesterday’s decision as “the beginning of the end of the Eighth Amendment”, the reality is more complicated, says Fiachra Ó Cionnaith.

Despite officially voting to recommend repealing the Eighth Amendment, removing the article from the Constitution, and giving the Oireachtas the sole power to draw up future laws, the decision still needs to overcome a series of hurdles between now and the likely May, 2018 referendum.