The Department of Foreign Affairs gave €300,000 of taxpayers’ money to the world’s largest abortion lobby group last year under the aegis of ‘international development aid’.

The information was contained in a reply to a parliamentary question of Fine Gael TD, Alan Dillon, who asked for the breakdown of overseas development assistance given by the State. International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is listed as having received €300,000.

The move has been denounced by the Pro-Life Campaign.

“Planned Parenthood is a fervently pro-abortion NGO based in the United States which has aggressively pushed for extreme abortion policies globally. The minister for foreign affairs and Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, also spoke in the Dáil on 28 September about how the Irish government works with the Clinton Foundation towards furthering ‘women’s reproductive rights’, which is a mealy-mouth way of talking about abortion”, a spokesperson said.

“Serious questions need to be raised about the reckless spending of the Irish state on well-heeled NGOs which promote extreme pro-abortion policies. This has been particularly evident in African nations, where the US and other Western Powers have adopted a policy of offering ‘foreign aid’ in exchange for a liberalisation of these respective countries’ abortion policies”.

She added: “A strong opponent to this neo-colonial interference has been Obianuju Ekeocha of Culture of Life Africa, who will be speaking at the PLC’s National Conference in October”.