DUBLIN, Ireland: Speakers at an anti-abortion rally outside Ireland's parliament this week called on the Government to take urgent action in response to what they described as a sharp rise in abortion numbers across the country.

The demonstration followed the annual March for Life in Dublin, with large crowds gathering outside Leinster House on Molesworth Street. Organizers cited newly released data showing 10,033 abortions were carried out in Ireland in 2023—an increase from 8,156 in 2022. Figures for 2024 are expected in the coming weeks.

Eilis Mulroy of the Pro Life Campaign, which organized the rally, addressed the crowd, saying, "At the heart of public life in Ireland today, there is a disconnect, a denialism, an indifference and a total lack of accountability that has to be confronted and broken."

"The massive increase in abortions taking place and the refusal of the Government to engage with any viewpoint other than the most radical elements of the pro-abortion movement is proof of the totally skewed discussion that's taking place," she said.

Mulroy also spoke of the personal stories she has encountered: "When I think of the heartbreak and pain that so many women I know have experienced after abortion, and the lives of so many babies that have been lost, it gives me tremendous energy, drive, and determination to keep going. And I know everyone gathered here today feels the same way."

Ireland's abortion laws were overhauled following the 2018 referendum that repealed the constitutional ban on abortion. Under current legislation, abortion is available without restriction up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, subject to a mandatory three-day waiting period. Beyond 12 weeks, terminations are permitted in limited cases, including where there is a risk to the life or health of the mother or in instances of fatal fetal abnormalities.

Protesters urged the Government to implement "immediate steps" to reverse what they view as a deeply concerning trend.