The latest figures from the UK Office for National Statistics show the number of Irish women having abortions in England rose by more than 10 per cent last year.
According to the unpublished figures, which the Pro-Life Campaign said yesterday it had verified with the UK office, 5,892 Irish women had British abortions in 1998, a 10.4 per cent increase on the previous year. This represents an increase of 30 per cent since 1995, said the PLC.
The real figure is known to be higher since many Irish women give English addresses. However, more are now believed to be giving their correct names and addresses.
The PLC yesterday questioned the Government's commitment to tackling the increasing abortion rate. PLC deputy chairperson Ms Geraldine Martin said the 1995 Abortion Information Act, which made it legal to provide the names and addresses of abortion clinics, and for clinics to advertise in Irish newspapers, had "utterly failed in its stated intention of reducing the abortion rate".
She said the trend of rising abortions was not inevitable. "Were the Government to address the conditions that pressurise women to opt for abortions, and reconsider the counter-productive nature of the Noonan Abortion Information Act, the trend could be slowed and even reversed," she said in a statement.