Support for Legalizing Abortion in Ireland Collapses, Less Than Half Want to Overturn 8th Amendment

International   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   May 17, 2018   |   9:37AM   |   Dublin, Ireland

Hope remains for unborn babies and the pro-lifers who are fighting for their lives in Ireland.

A new poll this week indicates pro-life advocates continue to gain ground. Fewer than half of Irish voters now say they will vote to repeal the pro-life Eighth Amendment, according to Reuters.

While support for the repeal still is higher than for the retention, polls no longer indicate an almost sure victory for abortion activists.

According to the latest Irish Times/MRBI poll, 44 percent would vote “yes” to repeal the amendment, while 32 percent plan to vote “no.” In addition, 17 percent remain undecided, and 5 percent said they do not plan to vote, according to the poll.

Significantly, in just three weeks, poll numbers shifted 5 percent toward the pro-life side, jumping from 28 percent to 32 percent. In the same period, support for the pro-abortion side fell 3 percent.

“The results confirm what we all expected: the gap between the Yes and No sides is closing,” Irish Times reporter Pat Leahy wrote Thursday. “The result of the referendum – in which the Yes side has consistently held a strong lead – is no forgone conclusion.”

The Irish campaign Protect the 8th celebrated the numbers, saying, “undecided voters are moving to the pro-life side in big numbers.” It has a telephone campaign planned to reach 32,000 voters, and remind them that voting “no” is vitally important.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN! Pray for Ireland to Reject Abortion

On May 25, Ireland is scheduled to vote on whether to repeal its Eighth Amendment, which protects unborn babies’ right to life. Abortion activists, backed by some of the world’s richest men, are pushing the pro-life country to legalize abortion on demand.

Pro-lifers estimate that the Eighth Amendment has saved approximately 100,000 unborn babies’ lives from abortion.

If the amendment is repealed, government leaders plan to push a proposal to legalize abortion for any reason up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and up to six months in a wide range of circumstances.

Pro-life advocates have been working hard against a biased media, celebrities and huge, illegal donations from rich American businessmen who are intent on pushing Ireland to adopt abortion on demand. Pro-life volunteers have been knocking on doors across Ireland to save the Eighth Amendment and thousands of unborn babies’ lives.

Their hard work has been changing hearts and minds. Over the past several months, polls show a consistent and continuing shift toward support for unborn babies’ right to life. In March, a poll by Red C found 56 percent would vote “yes” to repeal, while 26 percent would vote “no” – also a major drop from its polling in January. By April, polls showed the gap narrowing still further.