Irish Independent – 8 March 2010
By Brian Hutton
THE Government has been urged to relax abortion laws after a poll showed more than three-quarters of the population favour such a move.
The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) said the survey revealed a significant shift in public attitudes to pregnancy termination.
The YouGov poll showed that 78pc supported access to abortion in Ireland if the pregnancy endangered the woman's health or was the result of sexual abuse, rape or incest.
Where a pregnancy seriously endangered the woman's life, support for abortion rose to 87pc.
Niall Behan, chief executive of the IFPA, said Irish laws on abortion were out of step with the population and with those of European neighbours.
"This poll is the latest in a long line of opinion polls which indicate that the Irish people want the Government to face up to reality of women's and girls' lives," he said.
The IFPA said the existing laws merely added to the burden and stress experienced by women during crisis pregnancies.
Since 1980, at least 138,000 women have travelled from the Republic to Britain for abortion services.