A Government plan to increase the number of maternity hospitals providing abortion has once again been delayed as medics conscientiously object and alternative recruitment is proving difficult.

Earlier this year, the Department of Health said that 14 maternity hospitals would be doing abortions by the end of this year. However, at the moment, only 11 of the country’s 19 maternity units are doing so.

According to the HSE, five of the hospitals will not be providing abortions until next year at the earliest, while another two maternity hospitals are still in talks with the HSE to try to roll out the procedure next year.

The HSE said that “conscientious objection, recruitment, and infrastructure” was to blame for the slow roll-out.