Skip to content

Ireland's abortion referendum explained

Voters in the Republic of Ireland are set to decide on the future of the country's abortion laws in a referendum on 25 May.

BBC News NI looks at the background to the referendum and what the verdict may mean.

16 May 2018

Explore More

Several fishing boats upended by a huge wave

Watch: Huge waves strike Peruvian coastline

A man with bruises on his forehead and eye is sitting on a hospital bed

Azerbaijan plane survivors recall moments before crash

Weather presenter Judith Ralston, wearing a black and white dress, stands in front of a map of Scotland with a large yellow rainfall patch highlighting an area where heavy rain is expected.

Watch Scotland's weather forecast for the run-up to Hogmanay

Tony Heywood in his community garden

Greenhouse artwork highlights need for human rights

A group of small brown and black puppies jumping and looking at the camera

The puppies trained to save wildlife in Africa

Val standing in her kitchen wearing a Fred apron. She is pouring flour through a sieve into a pink mixing bowl. On the shelves and counters surrounding her there are many Fred memorabilia items.

Meet the woman with thousands of Fred memorabilia

Lynn Stephenson is visiting every country after selling her house

'I sold my house to travel the world'

A screenshot of the virtual reality game, the image shows a pair or red goalkeeper's gloved hands from the perspective of the player. A second player in a yellow kit is kicking a white ball towards a goal. They are in a virtual. empty stadium.

Is VR gaming the answer to too much screen time?

Northern Ireland

BBC News

East of England weather forecast

Men can be seen standing near the broken plane

Footage shows survivors walking from crashed Azerbaijani plane

Jean McKenzie wearing a cream coat standing by a busy street in Seoul in the evening

What just happened in South Korea?

A back-and-white image of former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh speaking in front of a microphone

Former Indian PM Manmohan Singh: In his own words

A wooden bookshelf full of old books. The majority on the left have been attached to the shelf with large metal chains, which are dangling off the edge.

The library where books are kept under lock and key

Lydia Hepworth bites an orange

Ambulance crew reunite with mum and baby they saved

Former prisoner Lee Jack, wearing a black coat, smiles while looking at the camera - he's standing behind a cafe counter with cakes and biscuits in glass jars

The cafe helping prisoners escape a life of crime

Tayside & Central Scotland

Manmohan Singh

Watch: Former Indian PM Manmohan Singh's life and legacy

Stacey, Jason, Nessa, Smithy and Gavin laughing on a sofa.

What do fans think of the Gavin & Stacey finale?

Runners dressed in Santa hats line up on the beach ready to run into the sea.

Watch: Hundreds run into sea at Boxing Day dips

Group of around 30 people in front of a snow house with someone dressed as Santa on the roof.

The Glaswegian who spends Christmas in Antarctica

Big Zuu stands in a Christmas-decorated kitchen

Big Zuu takes on Christmas leftovers

Pope Francis marked the start of the Jubilee year by opening the normally bricked-up Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica

Pope opens Holy Door to kick off special jubilee year

More than 30 million Catholic pilgrims are expected to head to Rome for the jubilee, which takes place once every 25 years.

Suspect in the German market attack appears at court on Saturday

Market attack suspect appears in court as anger grows over security

Suspect appears in court after attack on German Christmas market that killed five and injured more than 200.

Taleb al-Abdulmohsen

Watch Magdeburg attack suspect's 2019 interview with the BBC

Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen spoke about his work helping ex-Muslims flee the Gulf.

Bethany Bell wearing coat and scarf stands in the Christmas market which is cordoned off by police tape

Watch: Germany grapples with another Christmas market attack

The BBC's Bethany Bell reports from the empty Magdeburg market, on what should be one of the busiest nights of the season.

Emergency vehicles in Magdeburg

Reporter describes 'chaotic situation' after Christmas market attack

A car has been driven into crowds at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg.

A police office pointing a gun on a street in the dark

Video shows arrest of German Christmas market attack suspect

Footage from German broadcaster MDR shows police confronting a man lying on the floor by a car.

Macron in the crowds

Watch: Crowds boo President Macron in Mayotte

The French president spoke to residents on Mayotte while touring the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido.

BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg

Watch BBC's Steve Rosenberg challenge Putin on his 25 years in power in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin was speaking at an annual end-of-year press conference.

Mayeni Jones in a yellow shirt talking into a microphone against a backdrop of scattered furniture and trees stripped of their leaves

Watch: BBC sees 'complete devastation' in Mayotte

BBC Africa Correspondent Mayeni Jones reports from cyclone-hit Mayotte, as French President Emmanuel Macron visits to assess the damage.

Dr Laurent Layet speaking in an office

Pelicot 'split personality' cause of 'deviant acts' says psychiatrist

Dr Laurent Layet explains how a seemingly ordinary man could commit these crimes.

Gisèle Pelicot speaking outside court surrounded by onlookers

'I never regretted decision to make trial public'

Speaking outside court, Gisèle Pelicot says she never regretted her decision to make her rape trial public.

Gisèle Pelicot in a crowd of journalists

Gisèle Pelicot arrives to supporters' cheers at Avignon court

Gisèle Pelicot pushes through crowds of journalist to attend court.

Crowds gather next to an area that has been surrounded by tape with a man in armour standing by.

Ros Atkins On... Igor Kirillov's death

The BBC's Analysis Editor, along with BBC Verify, takes a look at material from the scene to assess what we know.

The BBC's Steven Rosenberg outside the building where Lt Gen Igor Kirillov died in an explosion

BBC reporter at scene of explosion that killed a Russian general

Steven Rosenberg reports from where a Russian general died in a blast at a residential block.

Men guard a building with a blackened window in Moscow

Russian general killed by bomb in residential Moscow building

Lt Gen Igor Kirillov was leaving a residential block on Tuesday when a device hidden in a scooter went off.

Rescuer amongst debris and fallen trees in the street

Watch: Cyclone Chido batters Mayotte leaving heavy damage

Video footage shows the devastation wrought by the strongest storm in decades to strike the French territory.

Tanker sinking, oil spill

Watch: Video appears to show Russian tanker sinking

At least one crew member was reportedly killed and footage showed an oil spill amid a heavy storm

BBC correspondent surrounded by protesters holding photographs

Watch: BBC sees 'anger and frustration' on streets of Tbilisi

Large crowds of protesters gather outside the Georgian parliament to object to the appointment of a new president.

Journalist being approached by a masked man with his hand up

Moment Georgian press attacked by masked men

The journalist told the Associated Press that the men took their equipment after the attack.

President Macron speaks to Donald Trump at the reopening of the cathedral

Notre-Dame: World leaders join Macron for cathedral reopening

Notre Dame has officially reopened more than five years after it was badly damaged in a fire.