“A total of approximately 28,500 abortions in just four years is symptomatic of government failure across the board” – Mulroy
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told RTÉ Radio 1’s News at One programme today that “over 8,500 women availed of termination of pregnancy services in Ireland last year.”* Combined with the numbers from 2019-2021 this amounts to approximately 28,500 abortions in Ireland since the law became operational.
Responding to this early release of the 2022 abortion numbers, Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy said:
“If Minister Donnelly’s figure of 8,500 abortions in 2022 is accurate, this is a huge jump from the approximately 6,700 abortions which took place in 2021. It represents an almost 27% increase in just one year, a devastating trend which further illuminates how the Irish abortion rate is quickly spiralling. This is the result of a government which has shown a complete lack of interest in providing women in unplanned pregnancies with real alternatives to abortion. We know that most abortions are caused by socioeconomic factors. A total of approximately 28,500 abortions (comparable to the population of Kilkenny city) in just four years is symptomatic of government failure across the board to provide families with the basic confidence and supports required to raise a child in Ireland today.
“The startling figure of 8,500 abortions last year puts paid to the idea that freedom of conscience for doctors is inhibiting the abortion regime in Ireland. The devastatingly high numbers of lives ended by abortion shows there is no problem with access; the problem lies with the complete lack of positive alternatives for women.”
ENDS
* https://www.rte.ie/radio/
Abortion numbers as notified to Department of Health 2019 – 2021
2019 – 6666
2020 – 6577
2021 – 6077 (approx.)