Pro-Choice Campaign calls for safe, free, legal abortion!

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Thursday July 28, 2005 10:53 by Niav - Alliance For Choice allianceforchoice at yahoo dot co dot uk

6217 women who gave addresses in Ireland had an abortion in Britain last year, according to recently released British abortion statistics. This means that at least 17 Irish women go to Britain for an abortion every day.

'This figure doesn't include the increasing number of women who go to the Netherlands, Belgium and France, because of cheaper flights and the lower cost of a termination', said Sian Muldowney, spokesperson for the pro-choice Alliance for Choice.

'After the abortion referendum in 2003 we hoped that the Government would at least recognise that large numbers of women are forced to travel to Britain, and elsewhere, to obtain an abortion.' she said

'We urge the Government to lift the ban on abortion in Ireland by repealing the 8th Amendment to the Constitution (known as 40.3.3), and legislating for abortion here. In the interim, the Government should legislate for the X case' said Muldowney.

‘Irish women who travel to Britain tend to get to clinics later in their pregnancies, sometimes travelling in the third trimester of their pregnancies. This is often due to financial constraints, and can put their health at risk. Abortion should be safe, free and legal in Ireland.' she added

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For further information and comment:

Sian Muldowney 0879179756
Richie Keane 0876822862