Majority back changes to abortion laws, poll shows

Pro-life and pro-choice campaigners have claimed victory after an opinion poll appeared to suggest a majority of people favour liberalising the country’s abortion laws. The latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showed a significant majority of voters are in favour of changing the Constitution to allow for abortion but only in limited circumstances.

A total of 18% said it should not be repealed; 55% said it should be repealed to allow for limited access to abortion in the cases of rape and fatal foetal abnormality; 19% said it should be repealed to allow for abortion in all cases requested, as in Britain, while 8% had no opinion.

The Pro-Life Campaign said it was reassured by the poll, Dr Ruth Cullen said: “The poll clearly shows that 73% of respondents do not want unrestricted access to abortion in Ireland, along the lines of what the ‘Repeal’ campaign is looking for.”