A GROUP of Limerick pro-life activists were among those who took part in the Rally for Life in Dublin in order to ‘hold the government to account’ on the current abortion rate and to call for the three-day wait before abortion to be retained.
Organisers say 10,000 people took part in the rally, billed as the ‘largest pro-life event of the year’, with a march through Dublin’s city centre and speeches at Custom House Quay.
The gathering took place in the context of what was described by pro-life groups as a “disturbing” rise in the number of abortions taking place in Ireland, with figures from the Department of Health confirming a significant jump in numbers .
“We now know that the abortion numbers jumped 22 per cent last year,” Limerick activist Philip Norden said.
“There were 8,156 abortions in 2022 – up from an estimated 6,700 the previous year. This rise is both steep and deeply disturbing.”
Mr Norden claimed that the state should be “supporting these mothers and their unborn babies, as a caring and compassionate society. Their lives are precious.”
He said that concerned citizens are helping women and families by “providing practical help and support as best we can”, adding that the government needed to take urgent action.
“We’re seeing calls for the three-day wait before abortion to be scrapped – even though about 4,000 women between 2019 and 2022 did not return for an abortion after the three day period of reflection.”
“One of the messages coming from the rally is that TDs are being reminded that they promised voters in 2018 that the three-day wait would be a ‘safeguard’,” he said.
Mr Norden continued that it was concerning to see government Ministers voting in favour of an abortion bill proposed by Dublin TD Bríd Smith, which he says would legalise abortion up to six months gestation, including local Limerick TDs Brian Leddin and Maurice Quinlivan.
“We were told abortion would be rare and that there would be safeguards – and now we’re seeing rocketing rates of abortion and a rush to expand the abortion law even further,” he said.
He said that the pro-life groups are now campaigning locally and nationally to urge voters to contact their TDs in relation to Ms Smith’s bill and the retention of the three-day wait.
