THE parents of Savita Halappanavar, who died after being refused an abortion in 2012, have said "the battle is won" after Ireland voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment.
Savita, 31, passed away due to the complications of a septic miscarriage in 2012 after medical staff at University Hospital Galway refused to terminate her pregnancy because the unborn baby still had a foetal heartbeat.
Her death six years ago reignited public debate over abortion and ultimately led to the successful campaign for a change to the law.
"It was a battle of six years and the battle is won," Savita's mother Akkamahadevi Yelagi told the BBC.
"Her soul will rest in peace now.
"We are thankful to those who fought the battle for my daughter."
Savita's Law
Together for Yes have called for Ireland's new abortion laws to be given Savita's name, after 66.4 percent of voters in Friday's referendum backed a repeal of the Eighth Amendment.
The group said calling the new legislation "Savita's Law" would recognise the "great debt" the Irish people owed to her.
Yes co-director Grainne Griffin said: "In terms of Savita and her family I think our country owes them a great debt and we were so honoured and so touched by the support that they lent to the campaign over the course of it.
Referendum round-up
- CATHOLICS WHO VOTED 'YES' SHOULD GO TO CONFESSION - BISHOP SAYS
- RESULT WAS NOT A BOLT FROM THE BLUE - ARCHBISHOP SAYS
- FOREIGN SECRETARY'S SISTER APOLOGISES FOR 'MORONIC' TWEET
- RESULT HAS 'NO EFFECT' ON NORTHERN IRELAND - ARLENE FOSTER
- GOVERNMENT URGED TO START ABORTION LEGISLATION NEXT WEEK
- SINN FEIN LEADER WELCOMES RESULT OF REFERENDUM
- IT'S OFFICIAL - IRELAND VOTES TO REPEAL EIGHTH AMENDMENT
"I was really glad to see Savita's father say yesterday that they felt they had justice for their daughter."
Speaking over the weekend, Savita's dad Andanappa Yelagi thanked the Irish public for voting to overturn the ban on abortion.
“We’ve got justice for Savita, and what happened to her will not happen to any other family now," he said.
"I have no words to express my gratitude to the people of Ireland at this historic moment.”
