MORE than 70 per cent of the electorate is opposed to the legalisation of abortion in any circumstances and 62 per cent want a referendum on the issue, according to an opinion poll commissioned by the Pro-Life Campaign.
The Irish Marketing Survey poll also showed 84 per cent of people in favour of a free Dail vote on either abortion legislation or the holding of a referendum. The results suggest support for a referendum is highest among the 18-24 age group.
The poll was carried out in April in face-to-face interviews with a nationally-representative sample of 1,288 people aged 18 and over.
The figures were calculated after distributing the "don't know" responses, which were 17 per cent on both the issue of legalisation and on the holding of a referendum. The unadjusted figures showed 60 per cent opposed to abortion and 62 per cent in favour of a referendum.
Announcing the results in Dublin yesterday, PLC chairman Mr Des Hanafin said the campaign would be asking the party leaders and individual election candidates whether they supported the holding of a referendum and a free Dail vote. Details of candidates' positions will be published before the June 6th poll.
Mr Hanafin said he had been "encouraged" by comments from the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern. But he added it was "remarkable" that the extent of public opinion revealed by the IMS poll was not reflected so far in the policies of the political parties: "It may be that the parties believe it is better to say nothing on abortion, for fear of offending potential supporters. But this is bad politics and is unfair to the electorate."
Pressed on the relatively low priority accorded the issue in the results of the MRBI/Irish Times poll in April, campaign adviser Dr Ciaran Craven said that constitutional issues tended not to rate high priorities in opinion polls.
But people were deeply concerned about abortion, he insisted.
