Majority want access to abortion improved, says poll
THE vast majority of the public want abortion decriminalised and access expanded, according to a poll.
The Amnesty International survey taken during the General Election showed that seven out of ten people want the expansion of Ireland’s abortion law to be a priority issue for the next government.
However a pro-life group has said that the findings are not as clear cut as they are being made out.
The survey by Red C found that 69% of people want the expansion of Ireland’s abortion law to be a priority issue, when ‘don’t knows’ and those who were neutral are excluded. A si milar number described the ban on abortion as ‘cruel and inhumane’, when undecideds and neutrals are excluded.
Almost seven out of eight people want access to abortion expanded, while 72% want it decriminalised and more than half of people agreed that Ireland’s abortion laws are cruel and inhumane.
Colm O’Gorman, director of Amnesty International in Ireland, said the incoming government is being told to make abortion reform a priority. ‘This poll demonstrates yet again that on the issue of abortion, Ireland’s people are way ahead of their political leaders,’ he said.
‘The incoming government can- not ignore the fact that the vast majority of Irish people want women’s human rights to be respected. It must prioritise the expansion of access to abortion in Ireland without delay.’
Meanwhile, the survey found that politicians, anti-abortion groups, media and church leaders are the least trusted sources of information on the issue.
Amnesty said there were progressive views on abortion across all regions and socio-economic groups. It said the survey showed two thirds of people think it is hypocritical for the Constitution to ban abortion in Ireland while it is legal for women to travel abroad for the procedure.
However, the Pro-Life Campaign argued that the findings of the poll are much more ambivalent and uncertain than the way they were presented by Amnesty Ireland.
Pro Life Campaign deputy chairperson Cora Sherlock said: ‘Take the result showing 80% of respondents believe that women’s health must be the priority in any reform of Ireland’s abortion law. That’s a finding the Pro Life Campaign would wholeheartedly endorse.
‘If it were acted upon, it would lead to the repeal of the 2013 abortion law that ignored all the medical evidence showing that abortion is not a treatment for suicidal feelings and can in fact be detrimental to women’s health.’
She added: ‘The poll also reveals that the public trust the voices of women who have had abortions more than other participants in the debate. The experiences of women
‘72% want it decriminalised’
who regret their abortions must be given a proper hearing going forward.
‘The finding that 52% of people don’t know enough about the Eight Amendment and want to know more is also significant.
‘If you were to go on [Colm] O’Gorman’s interpretation, you’d think everyone in the country had taken a detailed look at the Eighth Amendment and concluded it should be repealed. The truth is very different.
‘I think it is reasonable to say that most people have yet to hear the case for the Eighth Amendment and the countless lives saved by it. When this happens, I have no doubt the polls will become much clearer,’ she said.
Meanwhile, Amnesty said the research showed almost threequarters of people surveyed believe that the fact that women must travel for abortions unfairly discriminates against those who cannot afford to or are unable to travel.
Mr O’Gorman said: ‘Almost threequarters of respondents believe the government should hold a referendum to allow people an opportunity to vote on whether or not to remove the Eighth Amendment.’
The survey also found that of those in favour of expanding access to abortion in Ireland, 7% want the provision limited to fatal foetal abnormalities.
In the election campaign Labour vowed to hold a referendum on the constitutional ban, as did Sinn Féin
The Red C poll was conducted on the first three days of February and again from February 18-22 with more than 1,000 adults randomly selected each time.