The Pro-Life Campaign has stepped up its calls for a new referendum on abortion following the results of an opinion poll which indicate that a majority of people support legal safeguards for unborn children.
In a poll carried out by Millard Brown IMS on behalf of the Pro-Life Campaign, members of the public were asked if they would support a "constitutional amendment to prohibit abortion, while allowing the continuation of the existing practice of intervention to save a mother's life in accordance with Irish medical ethics."
Sixty-seven per cent said they would support such an amendment, while 14 per cent said they would not. Nineteen per cent said they had no opinion or they did not know. The poll was carried out between October and November of last year and involved a random sample of 908 people aged 18 or over.
The Pro-Life Campaign's legal director Dr William Binchy said yesterday that the results were very encouraging and indicated strong support for the anti- abortion position.
He said there was a need to restore legal protection for unborn children as a result of the 1992 Supreme Court decision in the X case, which legalised abortion in certain circumstances.
Dr Binchy said the current public debate over the planned referendum on children's rights was an important one in which to include the welfare of the unborn.
"We're not insisting that the current debate on children's rights turn into a debate on abortion."
"However, it is useful to recall that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child bears in mind that, as indicated in the declaration of the rights of the child, that the child needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before and after birth."
Dr Binchy said that while a referendum to protect the rights of the unborn was necessary, it should only take place following a wide-ranging public discussion.
"We're not laying down an ultimatum in terms of time, we're encouraging a debate on the issue," he said.
He acknowledged that the public may be tired of debating the issue and that securing political momentum for a new referendum could prove difficult. However, he said he was confident it was an issue of concern to the majority of people.
Dr Berry Kiely, the campaign's medical adviser, said the opinion poll question was careful to distinguish between medical treatments needed in pregnancy to save the mother's life and induced abortion, where the unborn child's life was targeted.
When this distinction was made, the survey showed a consistent anti-abortion majority.
She said the latest UN report on the safety of mothers during pregnancy found that Ireland was the safest country in the world of all 171 countries which were measured.
Anti-abortion poll: the results and question
Members of the public were asked if they would support a "constitutional amendment to prohibit abortion, while allowing the continuation of the existing practice of intervention to save a mother's life in accordance with Irish medical ethics".
YES - 67% NO - 14% Don't know/no opinion - 19%.