Several thousand people joined the 'March for Choice' in Dublin this afternoon in what was billed as the first major mobilisation of pro-choice activists ahead of the publication of a major report examining how the Government should deal with the abortion issue.
Several hundred people gathered for the start of the march, which left the Spire in O’Connell Street at 2pm ahead of a gathering at Merrion Square. Their numbers swelled to several thousand by the time it reached St Stephen's Green.
The Garda Press Office, which earlier put the number of attendees at about 500, said this evening there "may have been in excess of 2,000 people involved".
Marchers called for the decriminalisation of abortion and legislation in line with the X case.
The event was organised before the publication of a report on abortion from a Government appointed expert group which is to be presented to the Minister for Health next month.
It examines the implications of the European Court of Human Rights decision that Ireland failed to implement existing rights to abortion where a mother’s life is at risk.