The two sides of Ireland's abortion referendum couldn't see things any more differently.

Voters in the deeply Catholic country will head to the polls tonight, to vote on whether to remove its strict abortion ban.

Those against say any abortion is unacceptable, regardless of the circumstances.

But BBC Ireland correspondent Chris Page says "yes" campaigners want abortion allowed in at least some cases.

"Women who are carrying an unborn child that is unlikely to live outside the womb or women who have been raped.

The Catholic Church, which has traditionally played a central role in Irish politics, is urging voters to keep the ban in law.

But Page says it's influence has diminished.

"It's been affected by bad publicity around child sex abuse scandals so the church has lost, I think, a lot of moral authority."

LISTEN ABOVE AS CHRIS PAGE SPEAKS TO TIM DOWER