Republic of Ireland overwhelmingly in favour of extending marriage rights to same-sex couples. On 23 May 2015, Ireland became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote. Ireland became the first country in the world to introduce an environmental levy for plastic shopping bags in 2002 and a public smoking ban in 2004. Recycling in Ireland is carried out extensively, and Ireland has the second highest rate of packaging recycling in the European Union. It was the first country in Europe to ban incandescent lightbulbs in 2008 and the first EU country to ban in-store tobacco advertising and product display in
Abortion in the Republic of Ireland voted in favour of repealing the Eight Amendment. The national result was: A draft of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018 was published by the Department of Health in July 2018. Several polls have been taken on the subject: Abortion in the Republic of Ireland Abortion in Ireland is currently illegal unless it occurs as the result of a medical intervention performed to save the life of the woman. Reform is now underway, after a referendum was passed in 2018, replacing the Eighth Amendment, which had given equal value to the life of the unborn foetus to