Poll for Pro-Life Campaign shows 70% want new abortion referendum

An opinion poll has shown that more than an estimated 70 per cent of voters want a referendum on abortion, the Pro-Life Campaign has said. An estimated 80 per cent favour the Government launching a campaign to offer women with crisis pregnancies positive alternatives to abortion.

Ms Caroline Simons, of the Pro-Life Campaign, told a press conference in Dublin yesterday that the results indicated widespread public support for the organisation's position.

"The Pro-Life Campaign calls on the leaders of both parties in Government to acknowledge and respond to the consistent majority support that exists among the Irish people for a balanced, inclusive approach; on the one hand resolving the legal situation by way of a referendum, while at the same time putting in place a Government strategy to provide positive alternatives to abortion."

She warned that if the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, failed to deliver on his promise to hold a referendum during the Government's lifetime, "Fianna Fail will further alienate its own support and risk negative political consequences."

The poll was conducted by Irish Marketing Surveys, on behalf of the Pro-Life Campaign, between June 15th and 25th. The questions were asked of a representative sample of 1,254 adults aged 18 years and over by way of interviews at 70 locations throughout the State. The sample quota was controlled for sex, age, social class, region and area of residence.

The first question was: "Regardless of how you may feel about abortion, are you in favour of or opposed to the holding of a constitutional referendum which would offer voters a clear choice between abortion being permitted in certain circumstances or abortion being ruled out in all circumstances?"

Fifty-nine per cent were in favour, 23 per cent against, while 18 per cent were undecided or had no opinion. When the undecideds and those with no opinion were excluded, 72 per cent favoured a referendum, while 28 per cent were against.

The second question was: "Are you in favour or opposed to the Government mounting a campaign to offer women with crisis pregnancies positive alternatives to abortion?" Sixty-three per cent were in favour, 16 per cent against, and 22 per cent were undecided or had no opinion.

When the undecideds and those with no opinion were excluded, 80 per cent supported such a campaign, with 20 per cent against.

Ms Simons said that the Government had a constitutional obligation to defend and vindicate the right to life of the unborn. "What is singularly lacking is a serious strategy for addressing what everyone agrees is the very disturbing rise in the number of Irish women seeking abortions in Britain."

"The rising trend of abortion is not inevitable . . . When the conditions which pressurise women to opt for abortion are addressed, the trend can be slowed down and even reversed."