Thousands rally in Dublin calling for abortion law reform

Around 3,000 people have marched through Dublin city centre calling for a reform of abortion laws.

The Rally for Life wants the Government to set up a taskforce to deal with what it described as “spiraling abortion rates”.

Organiser Niamh Ní Bhriain said she was really happy so many people had turned up, adding they had a clear message for the Government.

“We had 10,000 abortions in 2023,” she said.

“People were told in 2018 that it would be rare, precisely the opposite is happening and the Government needs to stop acting as a cheerleader for abortion and instead set up a taskforce to see why these numbers are rising so fast,” she added.

Ms Ní Bhriain was speaking after the anti-abortion protesters had marched down O’Connell Street before gathering for the rally at the Custom House.

There was a small counter protest led by People Before Profit at the Spire with around 100 people in attendance.

People Before Profit-Solidarity’s Bríd Smith said the repeal of the Eighth Amendment was won and the message she wanted to send was “we are not going back”.

Ireland’s abortion laws were changed in 2019 after a historic referendum in 2018 which was passed by 66.4% to 33.6%.

The referendum took place after a lengthy process which included discussions during the 2016 formation of Government, Programme for Government talks, a Citizens’ Assembly and a cross-party Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment.