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MORE THAN HALF of Irish people think expanding access to abortion in this country should be a priority issue for the next government.
According to a poll by Red C, commissioned by Amnesty International Ireland, one quarter of people disagreed, with the rest saying they were either neutral or didn’t know.
Almost three quarters of the people polled think there should be a referendum to allow the people to vote on the Eighth amendment. This view is widely shared across all regions, from 65% in Connaught/Ulster to 75% in Dublin.
When it comes to allowing abortion in the cases of rape, incest, or fatal foetal abnormality, 42% said they were in favour. A further 38% were in favour of allowing women to access abortion as they choose.
Only 5% of people in the poll were opposed to abortion in all circumstances.
‘Discriminatory’
The poll reveals more than half of Irish people believe this country’s abortion ban is “cruel and inhumane”. Only 26% disagreed when asked this question.
Almost three quarters agree that the fact that women must travel abroad to access abortion unfairly discriminates against women who are unable to or cannot afford to travel. This view was highest among farmers, of whom 84% describe the current law as discriminatory.
“The Irish people, therefore, recognise the unfair burden which the current law places on marginalised women and girls, including migrant women, girls who are in the care of the state and poorer women,” Amnesty said today.
When asked who they trusted most when deciding their position, the majority said medical professionals and women who have had abortions. They rely less on politicians, the media, church leaders and anti-abortion groups when forming their opinions.
“This poll demonstrates yet again, that on the issue of abortion, Ireland’s people are way ahead of their political leaders,” commented Amenesty International Ireland’s executive director Colm O’Gorman.
In most instances, our polling found substantial support for expanding access to abortion across all parts of Ireland – for instance, support for decriminalising abortion is highest in Munster.
This poll reveals that, far from this being a divisive issue as some suggest, people in Ireland are clear and solid in their support of increased access to abortion. There is an evidently broad consensus on the urgent need to reform Ireland’s restrictive abortion laws. This is true across all demographics and regions.
“It is time for our newly elected legislators to recognise this reality, move beyond the myth of a divided society on this issue and legislate to respect rights of women and girls.”
If there is to be a silver lining in all this, I hope that those people that used to breathe down the back of your neck in queues, finally get the awareness to give us some personal space.
@Mark Malone: I’m afraid they are still around and continue to do so regardless of restrictions
@Mark Malone: Been thinking something like this. Manners will come back again. Just got to work on the spitting and urinating everywhere now.
There should be greater nuance in the question phrasing e.g. it is not complusory to wear a mask in public spaces, it should be asked if people either wear masks in enclosed spaces (shops/buses etc.) or in crowded public places. Would have been useful also to see fear added to the emotional well-being tracking – probably a prevailing emotion at the start that would hope has declined significantly.
@Spbeak: To suggest that 90% of people wear masks in all public places is just incorrect
@Spbeak: does worry and anxiety not kind of cover fear?
@Jim Smith: well the survey relies on people reporting their own behaviour the true figure probably a bit lower alright
@Jim Smith:
Depends I suppose, on what you call a public space for the purpose of mask wearing.
Walking down a street in the open air is in public, going for a walk on the beach or in a town park with your children is in public, but where social distancing is not an issue, then facemasks are a matter of choice.
From what I observed during December, facemasks were being worn by nearly everyone, certainly greater than 90%, in the places where social distancing was a difficulty, retail parks, shopping centres and such like. If fact most people seemed to be putting on their facemasks before they got out of their cars and were being extremely diligent and responsible about it.
Someone else has suggested that the questions asked in this article are a bit vague, I think they are correct.
@NotMyIreland: not really. Fear is a separate, though related, emotion.
The numbers shown and the ups and down in the infection numbers match. Says everything.
have your say