The number of maternity units providing abortions will rise from ten to 14 out of a total of 19 by the end of the year, Stephen Donnelly, the Minister for Health, has said.

Ahead of the findings of a review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, a spokesman for Donnelly said that after engagement with Department of Health officials, one further hospital had joined the ten that already perform terminations. Three more had indicated they would do so by the end of the year.

Donnelly has asked the remaining five hospitals — Cavan, Wexford, South Tipperary, Letterkenny and Portlaoise — to outline their plans to offer abortions.

Launching the review of the law in December, Donnelly said he did not believe the government had achieved the geographical coverage and ‘ease of access’ to abortion that was required. More than 13,000 abortions have taken place in Ireland in 2019 and 2020 alone according to official figures.