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Ahern makes personal appeal for Yes vote in referendum
By Kilian Doyle and Patrick Logue
The Irish Times/MRBI Poll: How would you vote in the Abortion Referendum?
The Taoiseach has made a personal appeal to voters to back him in the abortion referendum, but the Fine Gael leader has said the proposed amendment is "uncertain and unsafe".
An opinion poll shows 34 per cent of voters are either undecided or do not intend to vote.
In a statement released this morning, Mr Bertie Ahern described the Government proposal as a "good and honest" one, designed to address the complexities that have surrounded the abortion debate for years.
He said it was designed to strengthen constitutional protection for women and the unborn, and to ensure the new law could not be changed other than by a referendum.
Mr Ahern added that the Government was also working to reduce the number Irish women travelling abroad to have abortions.
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Uncertain and unsafe
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Mr Noonan
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"I don't believe that the change we need is simply to change our laws to allow those abortions to take place here," he said. "I believe that what needs to change is much more fundamental.
"We need to change our attitudes and our prejudices," he said, and offer support to families "of all shapes and sizes." Women must no longer be put in a position whereby their education, jobs and financial security might be threatened by pregnancy, the Taoiseach said.
Mr Noonan this morning called on voters to reject the Government's amendment to the Constitution.
"The Government's constitutional amendment is uncertain and unsafe, and could lead to unforseen consequences", he said on a visit to Co Mayo.
The Alliance for a No vote earlier protested outside the Four Courts in Dublin. The group used handcuffs to highlight that women who perform abortions on themselves would face a 12-year jail sentence if the amendment is accepted by voters.
An Irish Times/MRBI poll published this morning shows the Yes side maintains a marginal advantage in the abortion referendum campaign. However, there is a growing number of people who either do not know how they will vote or will not vote at all.
Some 35 per cent say they will vote Yes, a drop of four percentage points since the last Irish Times/MRBI poll on the subject five weeks ago. Some 31 per cent say they will vote No, down three points.
Those with no opinion stand at 23 per cent, up two points, and 11 per cent say they will not vote, up five points.
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