Ms Alison Spillane:

Yes. Every year, the Department of Health and Social Care in England and Wales publish an annual statistical report. In 2019, it recorded 375 women who gave Irish addresses. In 2020, 194 women and girls gave Irish addresses. Almost 200 women travelled during a pandemic to access essential healthcare, enduring all of the financial, physical and emotional burdens of travelling for a health procedure. We do not have the 2021 statistics yet, as they are published in June of each year.

In addition to what Dr. Henchion said about what these women endure in terms of stigma and ostracisation in the health system, a key issue is that this safety valve that Ireland has used for abortion care for decades is insecure because abortion services in England and Wales are under pressure. Some of our clients, particularly those in specialist pregnancy counselling services who are travelling, are waiting weeks before they can get appointments at clinics in England and Wales. We cannot rely on other countries to provide this healthcare. It must be provided within the Irish health system. We need to stop ostracising and stigmatising these women and families.