International delegates from Amnesty have gathered outside Government Buildings in Dublin, calling for a repeal of the 8th amendment.

The representatives are here to attend Amnesty's International Council Meeting.

They carried more than 80 suitcases to signify the amount of women who travel to the UK in order to access an abortion.

More than 4,000 women travel abroad for a termination every year.

Since 1971, Amnesty says at least 177,000 women and girls have left Ireland to seek an abortion. But it adds that the actual figure may be higher.

A Red C poll from July, commissioned by Amnesty International, showed one in five people thought travelling abroad for an abortion is not especially traumatic for a woman.

Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, Colm O’Gorman, said: "Ireland can no longer ignore the suffering of its women and girls."

"Ireland must repeal the 8th amendment to its Constitution and legislate for safe and legal abortions in Ireland, at a minimum, on the grounds specified in international human rights law, namely in the cases of rape, incest, risk to the health of the woman or girl, or severe and fatal foetal impairment."

"This is a debate Ireland needs to have. The 177,000 women it has sent away deserve nothing less," he added.

Tara is an Amnesty delegate from India - and she says more needs to be done.