KERRY for Choice is calling for legislation to be pushed through sooner rather than later after the latest figures for Kerry women travelling to the UK for abortions were published this week.

Statistics from the UK Department of Health show that 50 women from Kerry travelled to have an abortion in England or Wales in 2017.

Paula Dennan, Kerry for Choice convener said; “These figures are the tip of the iceberg because they only include those who provided their Irish address. Many pregnant people use the UK address of family or friends. Some pregnant people access abortion care in countries other than England or Wales. Others resort to ordering the safe, but illegal in Ireland, abortion pills online and taking them without medical supervision; risking 14 years in prison.

“The removal of the Eighth Amendment was the first step to providing real and realistic abortion care in Ireland. The people of Kerry voted Yes, knowing what the proposed legislation entailed. We must now ensure there is no roll-back of what was promised in the heads of bill. Until legislation is implemented, one woman every week will continue to leave Kerry to access the abortion care she needs abroad,” Ms Dennan concluded.

KERRY for Choice took part in the nationwide Strike 4 Repeal in The Square, on International Women’s Day on Wednesday.

“In the two hours we were there more than 130 people, from every demographic, came to show their support for a call for an immediate referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment,” said Roesia Foley, spokesperson for Kerry for Choice.

“The call for repeal is continually framed in the media as a Dublin based campaign and that there is no appetite for change outside the capital. The overwhelming support we received from the people of Kerry, at our Strike 4 Repeal action, shows this is incorrect. There is a strong, countrywide, call for change.”

“People want the chance to vote. They want their voices to be heard.” Ms Foley continued. “It is time the Government listened and allowed a referendum to take place.”

“Mothers with babies in arms, teenagers, grandmothers, women and men who have raised families all came to express their view that it is unacceptable in modern Ireland for women not to be able to choose what medical care they can access while pregnant. Whether these are choices around medical treatment and procedures carried out during their pregnancy or the choice to access abortion when faced with a crisis pregnancy,” she said.

Protests took place in many town and cities around the country on Wednesday, the largest of which was in Dublin.