Ireland will soon vote on its controversial constitutional abortion restrictions.

Ireland will vote in 2018 on whether to keep its controversial constitutional abortion restrictions, which currently prohibit pregnancy terminations unless there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother.

Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced the 2018 referendum on Tuesday, saying that the issue requires “well-informed public debate” and “careful consideration by the people”.

While polls suggest that Irish voters are in favour of allowing abortion in cases of rape, there is a strong opposition to allowing abortion on demand. According to a 2015 Irish Times Poll, “where the public drew the line was in allowing abortion on request (67 percent against) or if sufficient financial or family supports are not in place (68 percent against)”.

Ireland is not the only jurisdiction having its abortion laws questioned. Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party said in its 2017 manifesto that it would seek to broaden access to abortion in Northern Ireland, where similar restrictions exist. 

Ireland to vote on abortion in 2018
Xavier Symons
Creative commons
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abortion
ireland
law