Several thousand people attended a pro-life vigil outside the Irish parliament building in Dublin on Tuesday.
They were calling for the Prime Minister Enda Kenny to keep his 2011 promise not to introduce abortion legislation.
The demonstration was organised by the Pro-Life Campaign, Youth Defence, the Life Institute and Family and Life who said more than 10,000 people attended the demonstration.
Promise
Participants held candles and showed placards urging the Prime Minister’s party Fine Gael: “Keep your pro-life promise”.
Other posters said “Love them both”, with images of mother and baby.
Niamh Ui Bhrian, spokeswoman for the Life Institute, said in a speech: “We need to ensure that both our mothers and babies are best protected by banning abortion.”
Children
She said: “The lives of our children are worth fighting for and the mothers who are driven to abortion in fear are worth fighting for and the pro-life ethos in this country is worth fighting for.”
Pro-Life Campaign legal adviser, Caroline Simons said the vigil sent a message that “there is nothing liberal or compassionate about abortion”.
The Life Institute is preparing to follow the vigil with a nationwide campaign that includes delivering 1.4 million pro-life leaflets to every household in the country.
Support
Catherine Kavanagh, a resident in Limerick attended the vigil “to support the pro-life cause”.
“I feel innocent life should be protected, it’s a no brainer”, she said.
And Alan Hannigan from Dublin said he came to the demonstration “because abortion is absolutely disgraceful and it shouldn’t be let in to the country”.