Newstalk
8th Amendment Poll
Research Methodology
⁄ RED C interviewed a random representative sample of 1,005 adults aged
18+ by phone between the 11th and 13th of January.
⁄ A random digit dial (RDD) method of mobile and landline numbers was
utilized in order to ensure a random selection of households to be
included – this ensures all adults were eligible for selection including
mobile only households and ex-directory households.
⁄ Quotas were set and data weighted to know profiles on age, gender, class
and region to ensure that the sample is representative of the total Irish
adult population. Interviews were conducted across the country and the
results weighted to the profile of all adults.
⁄ Throughout the deck the following notations apply:
Higher
Lower
Nationally Representative Sample Profile
Age
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
10%
Gender
18-24
51%
20%
25-34
21%
35-44
18%
45-54
49%
54-65
17%
65+
Social Class
ABC1:
42%
C2DE:
52%
Region
Dublin
6%
28%
Conn/ Ulster
18%
F:
14%
Munster
28%
Rest of
Leinster
26%
Key Findings & Summary
/ Results suggest that the Irish population feel change is needed in relation to the 8th
Amendment;
/ The majority of adults in Ireland want to see abortion legalised in certain
circumstances…
» 4 in 5 believe abortion should be allowed in the case of rape/incest;
» 3 in 4 believe abortion should be allowed for fatal foetal abnormality;
» 3 in 5 believe abortion should be allowed for both significant fatal foetal
abnormality/non-fatal foetal abnormality and suicidal feelings on the part of the
mother.
/ However when asked should the 8th Amendment be removed or not from the
Constitution, 48% state that this should be removed with 41% stating that this should
not be removed.
/ This suggests that at a national level the people want to see abortion laws within
Ireland revised, but still want to see careful governance retained.
/ Women over 55 years are more conservative in their opinions relating to abortion;
under-indexing on feeling abortion to be an appropriate course of action in the
circumstances tested.
Abortion as a
Course of Action
in Ireland
Abortion: A Course of Action In Ireland?
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q. Some people feel that abortion is an appropriate course of action in certain circumstances and some people feel that abortion is never an option. For each of the following
circumstances that I will read out to you, can you tell me if you believe that abortion should be a legal option in Ireland for this circumstance or not be a legal option in Ireland in this
circumstance?
Rape/Incest
%
Yes – I believe it
should be a legal
option in Ireland for
this circumstances
No – I don’t believe it
should be a legal
option in Ireland for
this circumstance
Don’t know
Refused
78
18
1 4
Fatal Foetal
Abnormalities
%
76
20
13
Significant Foetal
Disability/NonFatal Foetal
Abnormalities
%
61
Suicidal
Feelings on
Part of the
Mother
%
59
34
36
13
1
4
The majority clearly indicate the desire to see abortion in certain circumstances to be legal
in Ireland, but do not want to see abortion on demand. Rape or Incest and cases of Fatal
Foetal Abnormality appears to garner the strongest support for change, with less support
recorded for non fatal foetal abnormalities and suicide.
In Any
Circumstances
Felt Necessary
by Mother
%
41
56
1 2
(Q 2)
Support for Legalisation of Abortion x Circumstance
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q. Some people feel that abortion is an appropriate course of action in certain circumstances and some people feel that abortion is never an option. For each of the following
circumstances that I will read out to you, can you tell me if you believe that abortion should be a legal option in Ireland for this circumstance or not be a legal option in Ireland in this
circumstance?
78%
Believe abortion should be a legal
option for instances of rape/incest
Gender
Age
Region
74%
82%
25-34
80%
Dublin
76%
Conn/ Ulster
82%
Social Grade
Lower Social Grades:
35-44
83%
45-54
84%
55-64
78%
65+
60%
81%
Higher Social Grades:
Farmers:
18-24
76%
75%
Munster
Rest of
Leinster
81%
80%
68%
(Q 2)
Support for Legalisation of Abortion x Circumstance
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q. Some people feel that abortion is an appropriate course of action in certain circumstances and some people feel that abortion is never an option. For each of the following
circumstances that I will read out to you, can you tell me if you believe that abortion should be a legal option in Ireland for this circumstance or not be a legal option in Ireland in this
circumstance?
76%
Believe abortion should be a legal option
for instances of fatal foetal abnormality
Gender
Age
Region
74%
70%
25-34
77%
Dublin
74%
Conn/ Ulster
78%
Social Grade
Higher Social Grades: 82%
Lower Social Grades:
Farmers:
18-24
72%
35-44
79%
45-54
85%
55-64
79%
65+
63%
69%
Munster
Rest of
Leinster
82%
78%
71%
(Q 2)
Support for Legalisation of Abortion x Circumstance
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q. Some people feel that abortion is an appropriate course of action in certain circumstances and some people feel that abortion is never an option. For each of the following
circumstances that I will read out to you, can you tell me if you believe that abortion should be a legal option in Ireland for this circumstance or not be a legal option in Ireland in this
circumstance?
61%
Believe abortion should be a legal option for
instances of significant foetal disability or nonfatal foetal abnormality
Gender
Age
Region
57%
56%
25-34
58%
Dublin
65%
Conn/ Ulster
66%
Social Grade
68%
Higher Social Grades:
Lower Social Grades:
Farmers:
18-24
57%
35-44
64%
45-54
72%
55-64
66%
65+
49%
58%
Munster
Rest of
Leinster
64%
57%
55%
(Q 2)
Support for Legalisation of Abortion x Circumstance
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q. Some people feel that abortion is an appropriate course of action in certain circumstances and some people feel that abortion is never an option. For each of the following
circumstances that I will read out to you, can you tell me if you believe that abortion should be a legal option in Ireland for this circumstance or not be a legal option in Ireland in this
circumstance?
59%
Believe abortion should be a legal option
for instances of suicidal feelings on the
part of the mother
Gender
Age
Region
58%
60%
25-34
63%
Dublin
62%
Conn/ Ulster
61%
Social Grade
Higher Social Grades: 62%
Lower Social Grades:
Farmers:
18-24
58%
35-44
60%
45-54
62%
55-64
62%
65+
49%
53%
Munster
Rest of
Leinster
61%
60%
56%
(Q 2)
Support for Legalisation of Abortion x Circumstance
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q. Some people feel that abortion is an appropriate course of action in certain circumstances and some people feel that abortion is never an option. For each of the following
circumstances that I will read out to you, can you tell me if you believe that abortion should be a legal option in Ireland for this circumstance or not be a legal option in Ireland in this
circumstance?
41%
Believe abortion should be a legal option in
any circumstance felt necessary by the mother
Gender
Age
Region
40%
46%
25-34
43%
Dublin
47%
Conn/ Ulster
42%
Social Grade
Higher Social Grades: 44%
Lower Social Grades:
Farmers:
18-24
39%
35-44
46%
45-54
41%
55-64
40%
65+
33%
44%
Munster
Rest of
Leinster
36%
40%
37%
(Q 2)
Age: A Dividing Influence?
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q. Some people feel that abortion is an appropriate course of action in certain circumstances and some people feel that abortion is never an option. For each of the following
circumstances that I will read out to you, can you tell me if you believe that abortion should be a legal option in Ireland for this circumstance or not be a legal option in Ireland in this
circumstance?
Abortion: An
Appropriate
Course of Action…
Males
(n=492)
Females
(n=513)
Fatal Foetal
Abnormalities
%
Rape/Incest
%
Total
82
18-34
81
73
74
18-34
81
35-54
82
61
79
74
77
81
65
Suicidal
Feelings on
Part of the
Mother
%
66
61
83
79
55+
55+
78
85
35-54
Total
Significant Foetal
Disability/Non-Fatal
Foetal
Abnormalities
%
72
42
61
41
45
60
58
52
41
40
64
64
53
61
61
63
57
In Any
Circumstances
Felt Necessary
by Mother
%
60
52
Male opinion across demographics lies relatively in line, with the opposite being true for
women. Females 55+ under-index on believing abortion to be an appropriate course of action,
with those under 54 typically more positively disposed. 18-34 females are less likely to agree
with abortion in the case of significant foetal disability/non-fatal foetal abnormality.
49
43
33
(Q 1)
Repealing the
th
8 Amendment
Should the 8th Amendment of the Irish Constitution be Removed?
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q.
The 8th Amendment is the act in the Irish Constitution which states that ‘the State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother’.
Do you believe that this Amendment should be or should not be removed the Constitution?
48%
of the Irish adult
population believe the
8th Amendment
should be removed
41%
of the Irish adult
population believe the
8th Amendment
should not be removed
54%
of those expressing a preference believe
the 8th Amendment should be removed
Just under 1 in 2 of the population believe that the 8th Amendment should be removed
from the Constitution, but a significant proportion do not want to see it removed.
11%
D/K
(Q 1)
Who Believes the 8th Amendment Should be Removed?
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q.
The 8th Amendment is the act in the Irish Constitution which states that ‘the State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother’.
Do you believe that this Amendment should be or should not be removed the Constitution?
48%
believe the 8th amendment
should be removed
Gender
Age
Region
43%
55%
25-34
54%
Dublin
53%
Conn/ Ulster
53%
Social Grade
Higher Social Grades: 53%
Lower Social Grades:
Farmers:
18-24
45%
35-44
48%
45-54
45%
48%
Rest of
Leinster
48%
Munster
55-64
54%
65+
35%
46%
39%
(Q 1)
Who Believes the 8th Should Not be Removed?
(Base: All Adults 18+; n=1,005)
Q.
The 8th Amendment is the act in the Irish Constitution which states that ‘the State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother’.
Do you believe that this Amendment should be or should not be removed the Constitution?
43%
Believe the 8th amendment
should not be removed
Gender
Age
Region
48%
32%
25-34
41%
Dublin
Conn/ Ulster
37%
Social Grade
38%
Higher Social Grades:
Lower Social Grades:
Farmers:
18-24
45%
35-44
43%
45-54
43%
55-64
38%
65+
55%
of
46% Rest
Leinster
Munster
42%
40%
44%
56%
(Q 1)
Age: A Dividing Influence?
Q.
The 8th Amendment is the act in the Irish Constitution which states that ‘the State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother’.
Do you believe that this Amendment should be or should not be removed the Constitution?
…believe the 8th amendment should be removed
%
53
Total
18-34
50
35-54
Males
(n=492)
54
56
55+
53%
%
43%
48
Total
18-34
Females
(n=513)
55
44
35-54
55+
Age is a divider in terms of response amongst women, with those under 34
significantly more likely to believe the 8th should be removed. Females over 55
under-index on this belief. Age is a much less impactful segregator for males.
35
(Q 1)
Abortion:
Permitted
Termination
Periods
Point In Pregnancy Up To Which Termination Should Be Allowed
(Base: All Who Believe Abortion Should Be An Option in Said Circumstance)
Q.
1-8 weeks
1-16 weeks
1-24 weeks
Later than 24 weeks
Don’t know
Refused
I am now going to read out a list of circumstances for which some people would opt for an abortion. If abortion in Ireland was legal for this
circumstance, at what point in the term of the pregnancy do you think this should be allowed, if at all?
%
Fatal Foetal
Abnormalities
Rape/Incest
Or
Suicidal feelings on part
of the mother
(n=527)
-
1
Rape/Incest
(n=784)
Suicidal
feelings on
part of the
mother
(n=597)
-
3
4
Fatal Foetal
Abnormalities
(n=767)
-
18
10
3
11
10 weeks
85
41
17
15
86
51
Or
10 weeks
81
49
20
21
21
Average
45
Fatal foetal abnormality termination periods should, on average, be allowed at a later point in
the pregnancy than the other circumstances tested at 12 weeks according to the population.
The Newstalk target are more liberal than the nation on this, deeming 14 weeks to be
average allowed cut-off point.
11 weeks
76
12 weeks
(Q 3)