Poll: Almost half of Irish adults support abortion reflection period

The Irish public continue to support the statutory three-day reflection period for an abortion, despite attempts to remove it, a poll has confirmed.

Of 875 adults in the Republic of Ireland contacted by Amárach Research on behalf of the Pro-Life Campaign, 47 per cent believed that the waiting period should be “retained”. Only 38 per cent claimed that it should be “removed”, with 16 per cent unsure.

In June, deputies backed a Sinn Féin Bill to remove the reflection period by 86 votes to 70. The proposal will now be considered by an Oireachtas committee.

‘Encouraging’

Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy welcomed the poll’s findings: “We are very encouraged, though not surprised, by these results. Public support for retaining the three-day reflection period has been evident for months and, if anything, appears to be strengthening.”

“As more people hear the full case for retaining the three-day reflection period, we believe public support will grow even stronger. Replies to parliamentary questions show that, over a five-year period, 10,534 women did not return to proceed with an abortion after the three-day period had elapsed.

“That’s an incredible figure and one that, in our view, proves the life-saving impact of the waiting period.”

She concluded: “It is truly shocking that Sinn Féin and other backers of abolishing the three-day wait didn’t even take the time to formally consult with any of these women before pressing ahead with their agenda to get rid of one of the last remaining safeguards under Ireland’s abortion on demand regime.”

Consequences

When TDs debated scrapping the reflection period, Independent Deputy Carol Nolan expressed astonishment at “the moral incoherence of a party that claims to care about Ireland’s future while actively working to ensure that thousands of Irish children will never have one”.

While Michael Healy-Rae, also an Independent, questioned why politicians were in “such a rush” to dismantle an important safeguard, especially as it had been presented to voters as a check and balance in the legislation to legalise abortion following the 2018 referendum.

Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín TD lamented the fact that 10,852 lives had been ended by abortion last year and urged the Dáil “to make sure that one of the last protections that exists in this State in terms of the most vulnerable is protected”.