Abortion providers Marie Stopes said it has no plans to open clinics in the Republic of Ireland if the Eighth Amendment is repealed. If Friday’s referendum passes, the Government plans to bring in new laws that would allow abortion without restriction up to 12 weeks of pregnancy through a GP-led service. Managing Director at Marie Stopes UK, Richard Bentley said: “Each year, around 1,500 women travel from the Republic of Ireland to our clinics in England for treatment. “Currently, there is no plan for Marie Stopes International to provide services in the Republic of Ireland, but we will be paying close attention to the referendum,”he said. The department of health in the UK said that there were more than 3,265 abortions performed on women resident in the Republic of Ireland in 2016.

Source: The Irish Times May 23, 2018 18:33 UTC