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TWO OPINION polls on the Eighth Amendment referendum shows that the ‘Yes’ side is ahead, with the number of undecided voters declining.
The Sunday Business Post/Red C poll published today shows that 56% are in favour of voting to repeal the Eighth Amendment, a three-point increase on the same question last month.
The No side is up one point to 27%, while the number of ‘don’t knows’ is at 14%. Three percent refused to answer.
As an additional question, people were asked to estimate the result of the referendum, a technique which predicted the result of the same-sex marriage referendum exactly.
The ‘wisdom of the crowds’ technique predicted that in the Eighth Amendment referendum next Friday, 56% would vote ‘Yes’ and 44% would vote ‘No’.
The poll of more than 1,000 adults was taken between 10 and 16 May. Today’s poll is likely to be one of the last national surveys to be published before polling day.
A Sunday Times/Behaviour & Attitudes poll, also published today, showed that the ‘Yes’ side is on 52%, rising by five percentage points, and that the ‘No’ side is on 24%. When the undecideds are removed, that represents a 68-32 lead for the ‘Yes’ side, according to the poll.
The last poll on the issue, published in the Irish Times on Thursday, showed support for removal of the Eighth Amendment at 58% to 42% once undecideds are excluded.
Including those yet to make up their minds, the Yes vote was placed at 44% with the No vote at 32% and 17% undecided. 7% said they would not vote or declined to say.
Campaigning continued this weekend, with high profile figures on either side of the debate making appeals to win over undecided voters.
“We are now in the final week of campaigning in the referendum to remove the eighth amendment. The eighth has caused and continues to cause untold suffering to women. Next Friday is an opportunity to right this wrong,” Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said, canvassing on Dublin’s Moore street yesterday.
“At all times in this campaign we must ground ourselves in respect and fact and recognise that every day women in this country are suffering under the eighth amendment.
“The fact is that the eighth amendment causes further trauma to victims of rape.
The fact that the eighth amendment forces young girls to import abortion pills illegally at great danger to themselves.
The fact is that women are suffering and will continue to suffer under the eighth amendment.
The crucial fact is that removing the eighth amendment is the only way to help women who are seeking a termination because they are pregnant as a result of rape or who are dealing with the devastating diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality.
Catholic primate Archbishop Eamon Martin said in his latest message that to be against abortion is not simply “a Catholic thing”.
The innate dignity of every human life is a value for the whole of society – for people of all faiths and none. It is rooted in reason as well as in faith. To take away an innocent human life can never be simply a matter of personal choice.
Martin appealed to voters to say no to repealing the Eighth Amendment “and then do everything you can to ensure that our country will always provide the best possible care and support for all mothers and their unborn children”.
Voting in the Eighth Amendment referendum begins at 7am this coming Friday, with polls closing at 10pm.
- With reporting by Daragh Brophy
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People who call their son Jack are also extremely likely to drive a VW Golf and think Mrs Brown’s Boys is the best comedy on TV.
@The Guru: really..I dont have a golf and hate mrs browns boys.
Drive A4 and watch friends ;)
@Mark Murphy: I drive an Audi and hate Mrs brown’s boys with a passion.
And next year we’ll have at least one Corona
@Sequoia: and lots of Mary Lou’s.
@Chin Feeyin: Funny thing when I was a child , my first tea set was a Mary Lou tea set, four cups, saucers ,plates,teapot,sugar and cream jug and four little spoons, they were coloured yellow with red flowers and made in tin by chad valley, they are collectors items now.
I was assured that Mohammed was in the top 5? What’s going on?
@greg merrin: Did Gemma tell you that?
@greg merrin: 78 and creeping up
@Nolan Spare: it’s the most common name in the UK now taking all the different spellings into account.
@greg merrin: Definitely a cover up…can’t see a ‘foreign’ name in the top 20…shows a further cover up of the imminent takeover of Ireland by foreigners with staggering birth rates simultaneously stealing jobs and claiming benefits
@greg merrin: It’s a conspiracy…it’s definitely number 1, as the staggeringly high birth rate of immigrants and them simultaneously taking jobs & benefits is leading to an imminent apocalypse & collapse of Irish society
@Bountyop: Are you a parody account?
@Nolan Spare: You mean it has fallen from 63 last year? That type of creeping up?
I am happy that in each of my 3 kids school years there is not another kid with the same name as them!
@Fergal O’Hagan: can i take a guess. Attracta, Assumpta & Dymphna.
@Fergal O’Hagan: Kim Kardashian can say the same thing how does that make you feel? thats what the world needs more of…pretentious parents with notions
@Keelan O’neill: close, Bingo, Bango and Bongo!!!
@Wheresmyjumper: didn’t go as extreme as her but just gave them regular names that aren’t common. We used our imagination and relatives names!!! Trust me I have no notions!!!
C’mon folks, jack again? Sick of it at this stage. As well as the rest of the downton abbey type names.
@Bart Teeling: Pipe down Bort!
@Bart Teeling: Don’t have a cow man !!
@Chris Linehan: are you talking to me ?
No Keith on the list? Shocked!
Guys, we have enough Jacks now, come on! Show some originality
@Newto2016: the toilet or the names?
Feeling pretty unique
The new boys name which is taken off big time is ‘Theo’,unbelievable numbers calling their child with this name.
Ross is better than Jack
I have a little girl last January and called her Mary-Anne definitely not on the list since 1969
Are you sure that’s not the English list?
3 Rueben’s in my kids class
@Peter Leonard: 4 and you’ll have the makings of a cube.
When I was young I rarely heard of any other boys/girls called Darragh/Daragh. Now we’re everywhere. I turn my head every time I hear someone say the name as I’ve inadvertently been programmed to think I’m the only one and they have be talking to me…
Odhran seems to be the most popular boys name. Makes the list twice. One with a fada and the other without.
@Stevo The Man On A Mission Returns: it appears to have fallen from 63 to 78…
@Bountyop: It increased from 63 to 78.
I have a little girl last January and called her Mary-Anne definitely not on the list since 1969
@Edel Boyle: Repeating yourself isn’t going to move her name up the list, Edel! I’m kidding, congrats and it’s a lovely name!
embed the maps next time lads
I know 6 Noah’s. I have a Jack and dont know another one
@AnnieBelle: all noahs look the same
@AnnieBelle: I heard a fellow in the Rotunda with a really strong Cork accent whose wife just had a boy.
A nurse asked him if they’d come up with a name for their baby boy, “Noah”, he replied. “I’m sure you’ll think of something” the nurse said”… He looked at her like her two heads, “Noah, that’s his name, like”
What is it about giving children shortened names? Charlie instead of Charles, Katie instead of Katherine. I thought only the Americans do that. One day Charlie will be 40 year old, maybe inposition of authority. I mean name them properly and then call them Robie if you want!
I’d a little girl last Jan and named her Mary-Anne definitely not on the list since 1969 lol
Jack was No. 1 and Daniel(s) was No. 5. Did any parents with the surname Burbon name their baby son Jack Daniels?
Obviously made a mistake with my Daughter Emily 2012, but not with Ben 2007
I have a little girl last January and called her Mary-Anne definitely not on the list since 1969
@Edel Boyle: when the Journal says there’s a problem posting you comment they are lying. Does it all the time, just ignore it
have your say