of no confidence in the government. This was debated as a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach and the government, proposed by Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald. The motion of confidence was carried on 23 October 1986 by a vote of 83 to 81. Bermingham voted with the government; Seán Treacy, who had resigned from Labour in February 1985, voted with the opposition. Government policy The "republican crusade" flagged by Garret Fitzgerald when he was previously in government in 1981 was progressed with some changes in policy on Northern Ireland and social issues. Economics The government resorted to high marginal tax rates to curb the national debt, which had increased when spending commitments accrued under the 1977–81 government's expansion of the public sector became unsustainable after the 1979 energy crisis. High taxes and high unemployment brought a return to high net emigration, a long-established Irish flow which had temporarily reversed in the 1970s. An economic policy document, "Building on reality", was published in 1984. Constitutional referendums The Eighth Amendment to recognise the right to life of the unborn had been proposed by the previous government. It was adopted by the FitzGerald government, but not supported by Labour. An attempt to amend the wording was unsuccessful. The amendment was approved in a referendum in September 1983. The Ninth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland permitted legislation to allow non-Irish citizens to vote in Dáil elections. A referendum to ease the ban on divorce was defeated in 1986. Contraception A bill to ease restrictions on contraception was passed in 1985. The failure of Desmond O'Malley to vote against this legislation led to his expulsion from Fianna Fáil. O'Malley later established the Progressive Democrats in December 1985. Northern Ireland The government's New Ireland Forum was a prelude to the Anglo-Irish Agreement signed in 1985. See also Dáil Éireann Constitution of Ireland Politics of the Republic of Ireland References 1982 establishments in Ireland 1987 disestablishments in Ireland 24th Dáil Cabinets established in 1982 Cabinets disestablished in 1987 Coalition governments of Ireland Governments of Ireland