Cavan General Hospital has begun carrying out abortions making it the last of Ireland’s 19 maternity hospitals/units to do so.

According to the Pro-Life Campaign, since 2019, the Department of Health has piled on the pressure, forcing each of the hospitals in turn to start carrying out these life ending procedures – “procedures that we know have nothing whatsoever to do with genuine healthcare”.

On Tuesday, Senator Sarah O’Reilly of Aontú expressed her sadness and regret in the Seanad while the Catholic bishops of Kilmore and Clogher issued a statement, saying: “We are saddened by the availability of abortion services in our hospitals. Our hospitals were founded to care for the sick, save and improve our lives as well as to provide palliative care for those whose life is reaching its natural end.”

“We urge that the staff of our hospitals are assured of their freedom of conscience not to participate in the procurement of abortions. We stand with those staff, who refuse to be involved in abortion procedures and in this way promote and protect human life. We ask that the integrity of their stance not impact upon the progression of their career paths within the health services.”