A new survey shows most voters are in favour of going to the polls to decide whether Ireland's abortion laws should be liberalised.

68 per cent of people told an Ipsos/MRBI poll in today's Irish Times that they'd be in favour of a referendum to decide if terminations should be allowed in the case of rape or if a child would not be born alive.

The details show a wide variance in results among different age groups.

People over 65 were seen to be least open to the idea, while more than 75% of 18 to 24 year olds were in favour of another vote.

However, the Taoiseach has insisted the issue of abortion won't be revisited in the lifetime of the current government.

Speaking at the Fine Gael parliamentary party think-in in Cork last month, Mr Kenny said that despite the controversy over the 'Y-case', there's no change on the cards.

Ms Y, an immigrant rape victim who wanted an abortion and said she was suicidal during the summer, prompted calls for a review of the latest legislation or even another referendum.

Anti abortion campaigners are criticising the survey, claiming the question asked on abortion in the Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll is 'completely misleading'.

68 percent of those surveyed said they'd be in favour of a referendum to decide if terminations should be allowed in the case of rape, or if a child would not be born alive.

In a statement, the Pro Life Campaign says the inclusion of the phrase 'will not be born alive' in the question is a distortion of the facts, as no doctor can say with certainty that a baby will die in pregnancy or during the newborn period.

Originally published: 08.03