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Organisation to offer abortion services in Dublin from January 7th

The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) says it is to offer abortion services here from Janu...
Newstalk
Newstalk

13.43 21 Dec 2018


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Organisation to offer abortion...

Organisation to offer abortion services in Dublin from January 7th

Newstalk
Newstalk

13.43 21 Dec 2018


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The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) says it is to offer abortion services here from January 7th next year.

The organisation says it has completed its preparations for the introduction of abortion services.

It intends to begin providing them at its clinics in Dublin city centre and Tallaght on Monday January 7th.

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However this is dependent on the key elements of HSE services being finalised - such as medication and pregnancy tests being supplied on-time.

It comes after President Michael D Higgins signed the legislation to allow for abortion services in Ireland into law.

Niall Behan, IFPA chief executive, says: "Preparing our abortion service has been the focus of our work since the referendum.

"We're ready and we're dedicated to providing abortion care to women in Ireland for the first time."

Mr Behan says the IFPA was proud to be at "the vanguard of the new services" after campaigning for abortion rights for decades.

"The IFPA has been advocating for full reproductive healthcare in Ireland for 50 years.

"The organisation was founded at a time when even basic contraception was illegal in this country.

"We're now at a place where we can provide safe and legal abortion care for women and girls in Ireland and this is truly momentous.

"We've been working hard to ensure that we can deliver the best possible care."

IFPA medical director, Dr Caitriona Henchion, adds: "Our abortion care service can only begin as planned if the medication and pregnancy tests are supplied on time, and the protocols for rhesus testing and the provision of anti-D are finalised. Most important is the referral pathway.

"Our clinics will be providing early medical abortions up to nine weeks' gestation.

"Patients who have their first appointment with us and are between nine and 12 weeks pregnant will need to be referred for hospital care.

"We cannot arrange those first appointments until we are certain those referral pathways are in place."

The IFPA provides crisis pregnancy counselling and post-abortion care, which it says it will continue do.


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