The House of Commons has just voted to decriminalise self‑induced abortions up to birth. What this means is that a woman can abort her child at any stage up to birth and not face criminal penalties. This shocking decision is the biggest change in the English law pertaining to this issue since the Abortion Act...
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has raised the alarm about falling fertility rates worldwide, highlighting the many barriers faced by people who want to have children. In a new report, The Real Fertility Crisis, UNFPA argues that declining birth rates are not aways the result of diminished desire for children, but rather a lack...
A new “soft opt-out” organ donation law will take effect from June 17th. Under this legislation, the State will be allowed to remove your organs upon death without your explicit consent, unless you registered a request to opt out. When the law was still being debated, I argued that donation should arise only from an informed...
The harmful effects of divorce on children is something we are extremely reluctant to discuss probably because it is too close to the bone for many people, especially the adults involved. But if it affects children, then we should discuss it or we are only burying away the problem. A major new study from the...
A major new poll commissioned by The Iona Institute reveals public attitudes towards the Catholic Church, Christianity and religion. This is one of the most wide-ranging polls published to date on the matter. It was carried out by Amarach Research. Here are the major findings: People are much more favourably disposed towards Catholic teachings than towards the...
In a previous blog, I analysed the latest marriage data from the CSO. What stands out is the fact that (not counting the Covid years), our marriage rate last year dropped to just 3.8 per thousand adults, the lowest level ever recorded. Let’s take a closer look at what going on. For a start, the...
A new Pew Research Center study offers compelling insights into religious switching worldwide. ‘Religious switching’ includes ceasing to be religious or changing religion. Christianity, particularly in Western and high-income nations, is undergoing significant transformation. The study, spanning 36 countries (excluding Ireland), reveals a notable decline in Christian affiliation, primarily driven by individuals abandoning their childhood...
Ireland’s marriage rate has now reached its lowest ever level, not including the years of the pandemic. At 3.8 marriages per thousand adults last year, the rate has fallen below the EU average and is very likely to fall even lower. In 2024, there were 19,680 opposite-sex marriages registered in Ireland, marking a 4.1pc decrease...
Often overlooked in coverage of the pontificate of Pope Francis (RIP) were his strong comments on the family, the right to life, the dangers of gender ideology and the emerging demographic crisis. Here we have collated some of his thoughts on these important issues. The family The family – as God wants it, composed of...
‘The Quiet Revival’, a major new report from the Bible Society in the UK has found something surprising: a significant upsurge in church attendance, especially among young people, challenging previous assumptions about Christianity’s long-term decline in that country. Based on YouGov surveys of over 13,000 people in England and Wales, the report reveals a 56pc...
