New poll findings by Amárach Research show 80% of respondents say doctors and healthcare workers should not be forced against their conscience to carry out abortions while 60% of respondents opposed tax-payer funding for abortion.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Ruth Cullen of the PLC said: “The Government’s abortion Bill contains no positive right to conscientious objection from having to perform abortions. If the Bill passes in its current form, doctors, nurses and midwives could be forced to carry out abortions regardless of their deeply held personal views on the issue. It’s clear from the poll findings that the public do not wish to see healthcare workers being compelled to act against their conscience.”
Dr Cullen said: “Another revealing finding in the poll is that by a slim majority of the public don’t believe doctors opposed to abortion should be forced to arrange for another doctor to carry out the procedure. This is a particularly encouraging result given that there has been virtually no public debate on the very real and serious concerns many GPs have at being forced by the Government to arrange for the abortion to take place if they seek opt outs from performing the procedure itself.
Commenting on the overall results of the poll, Dr Cullen said: “Simon Harris promised there would be ‘ample time’ after the referendum to scrutinise any proposed legislation but like so many other things he has completely reneged on his promise and is now railroading the Bill through the Dáil for fear the cracks in his proposals start to show. Minister Harris likes to portray his Bill as enjoying the overwhelming support of the public but it’s easy to see from today’s poll findings that this is simply not the case. He can pretend that the very real concerns of doctors and others don’t exist but I can assure him they will not go away until they are addressed, regardless of how long it takes.”