The chief executive of the Well Woman Centre, Ms Ann Broekhoven, gave a cautious welcome yesterday to the slight reduction in the number of Irish women having abortions in the UK between 1994 and 1995.
The statistics show 4,529 abortions in 1995, compared to 4,582 in 1994. Nonetheless, it was "unwise to suggest that this is a trend, or become over optimistic", she added. The statistics also indicated that the 1,085 abortions in the last quarter of 1995 were up on the 1,039 for the same period in 1994, she said.
The fact that at least 13 Irish women were having abortions in the UK each day indicated the need for increased levels of education, comprehensive research and increased access to family planning services and free, non directive counselling, she added.