An estimated 60,000 babies have been killed through abortion in Ireland since 2019. Staggering as this is, it does not seem to discourage politicians from pushing to further liberalise abortion safeguards.

The world has never seen this before – a nation collectively deciding to strip unborn children of their rights. May 25, 2018, was a day when many in Ireland, and those following closely from other countries, had their hearts shattered. There was a deep sense of hopelessness when the results of the referendum came in and it was declared that the people of Ireland had voted to remove the constitutional protection of the unborn child. On official government websites now it is declared that you can flush the, as pro-abortion people call it, “clump of cells” down the toilet after an abortion; that is how far the nation became desensitised. A nation that once valued its faith and the protection of the unborn, where Catholicism was embedded in its native language, where a simple greeting such as “Dia dhuit” (“God be with you”) reflects this heritage, where for many years people were willing to die for their faith, seemingly turned its back on God and its heritage on one of the darkest days in Irish history.

For many, the abortion referendum was seen as a spiritual battle between good and evil; for others, it was a confusing period in which it was difficult to distinguish between right and wrong. On one hand were the unborn children, whom pro-life advocates sought to defend and not allow to be forgotten. On the other were claims from pro-choice campaigners that women were dying due to a lack of access to abortion – claims that were false and many times debunked. There were also promises made to those who were undecided, such as that abortion would be “rare”, “safe” and “legal”. Some people believed it and voted for abortion, presuming that the promises of their government would be kept.

Not surprisingly, the only promise that has been fulfilled is that it is now legal for a mother to kill her baby in the womb. As for the other promises, there is nothing “rare” about 60,000 abortions, nor can a procedure whose direct purpose is to eradicate an unborn child be called “safe”.

Another promise made by pro-choice campaigners was the permanence of the three-day waiting period. This waiting period is an important part of the legislation, allowing a mother time to reflect on her decision to abort her little baby. After an initial consultation confirming pregnancy with the doctor, a woman must wait three days before accessing an abortion. This provision has been credited with giving women space to reconsider. According to available statistics, 10,426 women who attended an initial consultation between 2019 and 2024 did not return to proceed with an abortion. This indicates that thousands of lives have been saved following this period of reflection.

However, the fact that 10,000 fewer abortions – 10,000 babies saved – have resulted is apparently good enough reason to eradicate the three-day waiting period, or so the Social Democrats and others have claimed over the years.

Many people, including those who support abortion access, acknowledge that abortion is not taken lightly and that it is a big decision. If this is the case, it seems reasonable to ask why similar or even longer cooling-off periods are required for major financial or medical decisions, such as taking out a loan, purchasing significant goods, getting a mortgage, or even undergoing plastic surgery, with reputable surgeons requiring a seven- to 14-day cooling-off period. It is only logical, then, for a woman who is deciding to eradicate her own baby, and whose decision will also have an immense impact on her future, that the three-day waiting-period legislation should stay intact.

In moments of intense emotion – fear, distress or uncertainty – it can be difficult for anyone to make a fully considered decision. The human instinct often seeks a quick resolution to alleviate immediate difficulty. This is precisely why a waiting period can be valuable, and why many women may choose differently after time to reflect, as we have seen from the statistics.

Recently, Irish politician Holly Cairns stated in an interview that the three-day waiting period is based on “absolutely no science” and “zero evidence”, while advocating for the bill that would eradicate it. Of course, that claim is untrue and disingenuous. The statistics for women changing their mind and not proceeding with abortion have been high and, if the politician is all about choice, why not give women the time to make a conscious choice instead of deciding in the height of emotion, as with other big decisions? Why not honour the choice which led to more than 10,000 babies’ lives being saved?

The continued push to liberalise abortion in Ireland is concerning. Just in December, TDs tried to vote in abortion on demand up to six months and to decriminalise it up to birth. For a couple of years now, the same three-day waiting period has been under severe scrutiny and bills have been introduced to eradicate it and to make abortion more widely available. This is all despite many people agreeing on its necessity, and despite statistics and science proving it, notwithstanding TD Holly Cairns denying their existence. Seemingly, the parties will not stop until there are more abortions – more deaths of unborn children – not concerning themselves with the harm abortion does cause.

Knowing the evil of abortion, one can only conclude the severity of the spiritual battle that is happening not only in our lives, but also in government, and the necessity of prayer for our politicians. The constant attack on life is clear, with bills being introduced seeking the killing of the most innocent and vulnerable in our society and the huge push for it to be more widely and more quickly available.

Ireland was once a Catholic country that prided itself on its faith, which included the protection of unborn children. “Beo gan breith” (“alive but not born”) is the Irish term for an unborn child, a term that was used before ultrasound scans, before any technology that now clearly determines how alive the baby in the womb is. Ireland needs to look back at its heritage, its roots and the deep love for God of its ancestors, instead of focusing on how to further liberalise abortion, making the killing of its own little citizens more widely available. Once people acknowledge God and come back to Him, the tide can be changed and Ireland will become a whole nation again.