Ireland enacted [Bill history] the 36th Amendment of the Constitution [text, PDF] on Tuesday, repealing the country’s ban on abortions follwoing a May referendum.

Specifically, the amendment states that “[p]rovision may be made by law for the regulation of termination of pregnancy.” This repeals the 8th Amendment of the Constitution [text], which states that “[t]he 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.”

Because the 36th Amendment states that provisions still need to be made by law, although the constitutional ban on the abortions is repealed, legislation must still be passed in order to allow for abortions to take place. Politicians have expressed concern [Irish Examiner report] that debates over the laws may cause significant delays in the enactment of legalized abortions.

Ireland voted overwhelmingly in May to replace the 8th Amendment by a margin of 66.4 percent to 33.6 percent.