An RTÉ exit poll has found a massive vote in favour of removing the Eighth Amendment from the Constitution, across all regions of the country.

The poll, carried out by Behaviour & Attitudes from 7am to 10pm yesterday, predicts a vote of 69.4% in favour of changing the Constitution, with 30.6% against. 

3,779 voters at 175 polling stations took part in the exit poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.6%.

It found that 72.1% of women and 65.9% of men voted Yes.

As expected, the Yes vote is highest among younger voters: 87.6% among 18-24; 84.6% amongst 25-34; 72.8% among 35-49; 63.7% among 50-64.

The only age cohort to vote No were those aged 65 and over, where 41.3% voted Yes and 58.7% voted No.

Every region voted Yes: Dublin 79.8%; rest of Leinster 67.2%; Munster 63.3%; Connacht/Ulster 62%.

There was a 72.3% Yes vote in urban areas, and 63.3% in rural.

The only major party whose voters rejected the referendum was Fianna Fáil, which had 50.3% No voters and 49.7% Yes.

The Yes vote among supporters of the other parties was: Fine Gael 74.9%; Sinn Féin 74.5%; Labour 80.3%; Social Democrats 89.5%,  Green Party 88.9%; Solidarity/PBP 82.1%.

Supporters of Renua were 100% opposed to changing the Constitution.

Read more:
Read the full exit poll (in cooperation with political scientists based at UCD, UCC, DCU, and KU Leuven)
Updates as they happen
RTÉ exit poll on the Eighth Amendment projects: Yes 69.4% No 30.6%
Campaigners on both sides react to exit poll
Exit polls a shock to political system
Referendum results breakdown

Overall, supporters of the smaller parties voted yes by 84.6%; supporters of Independents were 72% in favour.

Voters were also asked to place themselves on a scale representing their views on the availability of abortion, where 0 meant a total ban on abortion and 10 meant you believed abortion should be available to any woman who wants one.

23% put themselves on 0-3 on the scale, meaning they were very anti-abortion; 25% were in the middle, on points 4-6; and 51% were on the pro-choice end of the scale, on points 7-10.

The same question was asked in the RTÉ exit poll after the last general election two years ago. Then, 20% were in the anti-abortion group, 30% were in the middle, and 46% were in the pro-choice group.

So, over the past two years, the middle ground has shrunk by five percentage points, while anti-abortion sentiment has increased by three points, and pro-choice by five points (the figures do not add up to 100 because of Don't Knows).

All of the above questions were asked of the entire sample of over 3,799 voters. The poll was then split in three, giving three groups of over 1,000, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8%.

73% were in favour of making abortion available in cases of rape or incest; 71% in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, 67% between 12 and 24 weeks gestation where there was a risk to the health of the woman; but only 52% were in favour of abortion being available on request up to 12 weeks.

Even No voters were in favour of abortion in cases of rape or incest, by 40 to 38%.

Asked when they decided how to vote, 75% said they always knew; 8% said following the Savita Halappanavar case; 1% said following the Citizens' Assembly; 1% said following the Oireacthas committee; 12% said during the Referendum campaign.

Asked what factors influenced their vote, 43% cited people's personal stories as covered in the media; 34% experiences of people they knew; 10% campaign posters; 7% direct contact with campaigners; and 24% "other" factors.

People were also asked to name which factors were important to them in making their decision (more than one factor could be chosen).

62% said women's right to choose; 55% said risks to the health or life of a woman; 40% pregnancy as a result of rape or incest; 39% fatal foetal abnormalities; 36% the right to life of the unborn; 24% the right to life of those with Down syndrome or other disabilities; 15% the question of trusting politicians; 12% their religious views; 11% the handling of the cervical cancer controversy.

Among Yes voters, the most important issues were the right to choose (84%), the health or life of the woman (69%), and pregnancy as a result of rape (52%).

Among No voters, they were the right to life of the unborn (76%), the right to live of those with Down syndrome or other disabilities (36%), and religious views (28%).

The poll was conducted by RTÉ in conjunction with a number of Irish universities and was carried out by Behaviour & Attitudes.

An exit poll for The Irish Times, carried out by Ipsos MRBI, projected that 68% of voters have voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

Last night, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it looks like history will be made today.

If the exit polls are accurate the Oireachtas should move efficiently to enact the will of the people, Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin said.

Cora Sherlock of the Pro-Life Campaign tweeted last night that it would rise to any challenge it faces.

Read the full exit poll here

The RTÉ/B&A exit poll was organised in cooperation with political scientists based at University College Dublin, University College Cork, Dublin City University, and KU Leuven.