A clear majority of voters are opposed to abortion as a response to the threat of suicide, according to a new poll 
The poll, carried out by Amárach Research on behalf of the Pro Life Campaign (PLC), asked respondents to scale their support or opposition to abortion “if it were clearly shown that abortion is not a suitable treatment for a pregnant woman with suicidal feelings”.
Of those who expressed an opinion, 60pc said they would be ‘very unlikely’ or ‘unlikely’ to support abortion on such grounds. Just 40pc of respondents said they would be ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to support abortion in those cases.
The result comes as Fine Gael TD, Terence Flanagan, has said he will vote against the Bill because of its clause relating to abortion in the case of suicide
The poll findings contrast with those in previous opinion polls showing majority support for abortion on the suicide ground.
However, earlier polls did not draw respondents’ attention to the lack of medical evidence for abortion as a response to suicidal feelings, according to a statement from the PLC..
Caroline Simons, a spokesperson for the PLC, said that improved public information was the reason for the result.
She said: “The Government is fully aware from two sets of Oireachtas hearings that there is no medical evidence that abortion is an appropriate response to a suicide threat but they have refused to present this reality to the public.
“Legislating for abortion on the ground of threatened suicide shows complete disregard for the lives of women as well as for the unborn.
“These latest poll findings clearly show that when people are made aware of the fact that abortion is not a treatment for suicidal feelings they are much less inclined to support abortion on this ground.”
The poll also revealed that 78pc of voters support a free vote on the abortion legislation versus 13pc who said politicians should be required to vote with their parties.
Meanwhile, explaining his reasons for voting against the abortion Bill, Terence Flanagan, told the Dail his main objection was the inclusion of the suicide ground in the Bill.
Mr Flanagan said that, “for the very first time we are stating in statute law that it is o.k. to deliberately and intentionally take the life of the unborn – direct abortion. This signals a real and significant cultural change in the practice of our hospitals and I have a real problem with this”.
He said that the various assurances given by supporters of the Bill that the suicide clause wouldn’t create an abortion on demand culture gave him little comfort.
Mr Flanagan said: “As a legislator I am constitutionally free to oppose this bill and I am conscientiously obliged to do so.”
