The Pro-Life Campaign has dismissed the result of an opinion poll which showed there was little public support for an abortion referendum.
The results of the poll, published in The Irish Times yesterday, found that fewer than one in five people wanted the Government to hold an abortion referendum. It was carried out by Lansdowne Market Research on behalf of the umbrella group Abortion Reform.
Pro-Life Campaign spokeswoman Ms Geraldine Martin said the survey was "muddled and distorted" with no implied definition of abortion in any of the questions asked. "This alone raises questions about the credibility of the poll. The findings are totally at variance with most other surveys conducted on the issue."
However, Ms Anne Marlborough, a spokeswoman for Abortion Reform, said people had been asked specific questions which set out the options currently being considered by the Cabinet sub-committee.
"These were tangible options about how the abortion situation should be regulated by law. All we did was set out the three options given by the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution. In previous polls people were just asked very general questions on whether they agreed or disagreed with abortion. Our poll allowed more subtlety and allowed people more clarity. The pro-life polls didn't allow for the same level of difference," she said.
Ms Martin said there was sufficient evidence from previous surveys to hold that people supported a referendum which made clear the distinction between the necessary medical treatments in pregnancy and the targeting of the life of the unborn.
"Coupled with such a referendum there is urgent need for adequate social supports to offer women in crisis pregnancies real and positive alternatives to abortion."
The Labour party spokeswoman on health, Ms Liz McManus, said the result of the poll showed the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, should drop his plans to hold a referendum.
"I welcome the findings of this opinion poll. It clearly demonstrates that Irish people understand the complexity of the issues surrounding abortion and the vast majority of them reject the simplistic and dangerous route of another abortion referendum," said Ms McManus.