An additional obstetrician is to be appointed to St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny as part of the rollout of abortion facilities to its maternity unit.

All four obstetricians currently working In the Hospital said in a letter last week that they would not be performing abortions.

Nonetheless, the Ireland East Hospital Group has told the Irish Times it was working closely with St Luke’s to prepare a termination service.

“In order to provide this specialised service the hospital must have the clinical capacity and must include appropriate training of all key personnel,” it said, adding that an additional obstetric consultant post has been approved and advertised.