The Master of the Rotunda predicts that the hospital will conduct up to 800 abortions a year once legislation making it widely available comes into practice. Dr Fergal Malone was speaking on RTE Radio 1’s Drivetime after the hospital announced a record 100% survival rate for premature babies born as early as 28 weeks gestation. The new research was published to coincide with World Prematurity Day and presenter Mary Wilson said it ‘shines a light on the life-saving impact of certain drugs and early diagnosis marking the highest survival rate on record.’

She went on to question Dr Malone about the hospital’s readiness to conduct abortions. He said they will ‘be on the frontline’ and they expect ‘about 15 cases a week at the Rotunda, so sixty a month, seven or eight hundred a year’. He said it would be a significant, increased burden on the hospital but they have plans which they have submitted to the HSE on how they would deal with it.