The vast scale of abortion in Ireland and the lack of support for positive alternatives was raised by the leader of Aontu at the party’s Ard Fheis on Sunday.

Meath-West TD, Peadar Toibin said the new abortion law “has ended the lives of 23,000 children north and south. That’s 900 classrooms of children who would be here with us today are not, directly due to these laws”.

“I ask you if you can’t trust a politician in relation to these lives what can you trust them on?”

Looking to tackle of the causes of abortion, Mr Toibin said his party “seek an Irish society built on compassion, empathy and kindness, where the most vulnerable are the most protected. We will support mothers, economically and socially so that they have the confidence to raise their children to their full potential. We seek to protect children with disabilities, from low income families and baby girls from the discrimination of abortion. We will support them not just up until the day that they are born, but through their whole lives”.