Abortions in Ireland have increased by 300% since the 2018 referendum. The referendum legalized abortion in Ireland. The significant rise in abortions is a direct result of the change in law.
5 months ago
The Republic of Ireland recorded 10,852 abortions in 2024, marking the highest number since the law changed in 2019 following the 2018 referendum 1, 2. This figure represents a significant 280% increase from the 2,879 abortions reported in 2018, the year before the new legislation took effect 1, 2. Currently, approximately one in six unborn children's lives in Ireland end in abortion 1, 2.
Pro-life organizations, including the Pro Life Campaign and the Iona Institute, have expressed alarm over these statistics, stating they contradict assurances made during the 2018 referendum campaign 1, 2. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, then Prime Minister, had stated that abortion would be "safe, legal, and rare" 1, 2. Critics argue that nearly 11,000 abortions annually cannot be considered "rare" 1, 2.
During the 2018 campaign, pro-life voices warned of a dramatic increase in abortion numbers if access were widened, but these warnings were dismissed as "scaremongering" by media and pro-choice advocates 1, 2. David Quinn of the Iona Institute suggests that the electorate might not have voted "yes" if they had foreseen the current high numbers 1, 2. He also notes that the referendum was largely "sold on the hard cases," such as fatal fetal abnormalities, with little focus on the fact that the vast majority of abortions would involve healthy children of healthy women 1, 2. Over 98% of abortions in Ireland in 2024 occurred during early pregnancy, up to 12 weeks 1, 2.
Eilís Mulroy, spokesperson for the Pro Life Campaign, has called the figures "truly horrifying" and highlighted that Ireland is approaching the abortion rates previously seen in Britain, where one in five pregnancies ended in abortion 1, 2. Mulroy notes that Britain's latest figures show nearly one in three pregnancies now ending in abortion, suggesting a trend of increasing rates once abortion laws are liberalized 1, 2.
Pro-life groups are actively seeking a meeting with the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, to discuss these figures and advocate for changes in public policy 1, 2. They emphasize the need for more positive alternatives and comprehensive information for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies 1, 2. Mulroy points out that the government-funded helpline primarily directs women to abortion providers, arguing that all women should receive full information on all available options, which she believes could impact abortion numbers 1, 2.
Both Eilís Mulroy and David Quinn have voiced concerns about the lack of attention these rising abortion figures receive in mainstream media 1, 2. Quinn described it as a "conspiracy of silence," making it difficult to prompt public discussion or hold politicians accountable for their 2018 promises 1, 2. Despite the challenges, pro-life advocates see potential for incremental changes, particularly given the presence of pro-life independents supporting the current Irish government 1, 2.
What is the Church's teaching on the sanctity of life?
The Catholic Church teaches that all human life is sacred and must be respected and protected from the moment of conception until natural death . This teaching is rooted in the belief that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and is willed for their own sake .
The sacredness and inviolability of human life are founded on God's personal regard for every human person . The Church emphasizes that human life is not merely an idea or abstraction, but a concrete reality of a being capable of love and service to humanity .
The Church's defense of the right to life is not only in regard to the majesty of the Creator, who is the first Giver of life, but also in respect of the essential good of the human person .