Dublin, Ireland - About 90 percent of over-50s in Ireland are practising Roman Catholics but a third do not believe in life after death, according to the results of a new survey released.
An Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll found 62 percent of over-50s, Ireland's fastest-growing demographic sector, agree there is life after death, 12 percent disagree, 21 percent say they don't know and 5 percent have no opinion.
The proportion of older people who believe in an afterlife increases with age: Some 55 percent of the 50-64 age group agree with the statement, rising to 70 percent among those aged 65 or more.
On the divisive issue of abortion, 64 percent of older people believe it is acceptable where the life of the mother is at risk, while 16 percent disagree with the statement.
Abortion remains illegal in Ireland under an 1861 British law unless in circumstances where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother, including suicide. Every year thousands of women travel abroad, mainly to Britain, to have their pregnancies terminated.
On other subjects, some 60 percent of those over 50 disagree with the statement that artificial contraception is morally wrong, compared to 20 percent who agree with the statement.
Only 30 percent of over 50s favour allowing gay marriage, while 44 percent think it should not be allowed.
The poll shows 90 percent of older people are practising Catholics, six percent have no religion, two percent are Protestant and the remaining two percent had another religion or refused to say.
A national quota sample of 1,000 people at 100 locations in the country were interviewed for the survey.