Average age for same-sex marriages is over-40
No-vote launches a ‘rebellion’ against ‘elites’ to Save the 8th
A FIFTH of pregnancies could be terminated next year if Ireland’s laws are changed after May’s referendum, anti-abortion activists have claimed.
They urged voters to join a “rebellion” against the country’s “elites” in voting No as they officially launched their Save The 8th campaign.
And they said if the Eighth Amendment is removed, it will be a “licence to kill” the unborn.
Children and TDS were among the crowd at the Dublin event where speakers included medical professionals, students and mothers.
Caoimhe Lynch, from Kerry, said her mother fell pregnant as a 23-year-old nursing student.
The 20-year-old NUI Galway student told the crowd: “It was suggested to her that she should have an abortion. Now imagine. Imagine if she had gone to England for that abortion.
“I wouldn’t be able to experience all the amazing things life has offered me. The Eighth Amendment is so precious. It protects lives and that is priceless. A life is priceless.
“To think next year one in five babies might be aborted is unimaginable but the horrifying reality.
“Women need to know no matter how impossible their situation is, abortion is never the answer.”
Voters will be asked on May 25 whether they want to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which makes abortion illegal in all but exceptional circumstances.
Voters will be asked if they want to replace the Eighth Amendment, which gives the mother and unborn an equal right to life and hands responsibility for setting abortion laws to politicians.
If the public votes to repeal the constitutional provision, the Government intends to table legislation permitting women to abort up to 12 weeks.
Activists said a Yes vote would be a “horrible and tragic mistake”.
Campaign leader Niamh Ui Bhriain added: “The polls are turning in our favour and as the reality of the repeal slogan becomes more evident to voters, more and more voters are turning against this proposal.
“This is a rising of the people against the elites, and on May 25 it’s time to join a rebellion and to reject both abortion on demand and the untrustworthy political class that wants to repeal the right to life of children before birth.”
Dr John Monaghan told those present he had delivered up to 5,000 babies during his career.
He added: “Not on one occasion was I prevented from protecting a woman’s life because of the Eighth Amendment.”
Dr Monaghan said Ireland is a “remarkably safe place” to be pregnant adding: “It is a very simple observation that if the Eighth Amendment was dramatically risking the health of women, this would not be the case. The figures don’t add up.”
Campaign communications director John Mcguirk said it is “undoubtedly a tight race” and added: “The No vote is growing and we believe we’re going to win.”
DUBLIN YESTERDAY
THE average age of people tying the knot in same-sex marriages is over 40, statistics revealed.
Both men and women entering into gay unions were found to be older than those in heterosexual ones marriages.
On average, males in relationship say “I do” a gay aged Dr John Monaghan
The polls are turning in our favour to reject abortion on demand NIAMH UI BHRIAIN
40.3 years and the average age for females is 40.5 years.
The Central Statistics Office study is based on data from 2017.
There were 22,021 marriages in Ireland last year – 759 of which were same-sex.
July and August were the most popular for weddings of the opposite sex, while September Campaigners in Dublin was the month of choice for gay couples. The cooler months of January and February were the least popular for weddings.
Friday and Saturday are the most popular days to tie the knot for opposite-sex couples while Thursday and Friday were the most favoured days to wed for same-sex partners. And Sundays and Mondays are the least popular days of the week to marry for all couples.
Meanwhile, the average age of grooms in an opposite-sex marriage was at its highest to date at 36.1 years.
The mean age for brides slightly younger than men 34.1 years old. is at Gay weddings