Every opinion matters. The deadline for submissions is 5pm today.

Today is the final day for members of the public to express their opinion on the Eighth Amendment to the government. The Citizens’ Assembly have received more that 4,500 submissions on the future of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, and will stop accepting submissions at 5pm today (Friday).

The assembly will be discussing the future of the law this January and will make an official report to Government by the end of June of next year. They request submissions from the public to help their discussions and findings.

The Eighth Amendment is an article in the Irish Constitution brought in in 1983 concerning the country’s abortion laws.

The wording is as follows: “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.”

The amendment equates the right to life of the unborn with the mother’s right to life. It therefore makes abortion illegal in Ireland except where there is an immediate threat to a woman’s life.

This is an important issue affecting all women in Ireland. Groups on both sides of the debate are encouraging all Irish citizens to share their views.

Submission are accepted via the website: www.citizensassembly.ie/en/Submissions/ Closing date for receipt of submissions is 5pm on 16th December 2016. Postal submissions received after this date will not be accepted.