A former Master of the Rotunda Hospital says Irish women's freedom to travel to the UK for an abortion could be in doubt after the British vote to leave the European Union.

It has been revealed that 26 abortions were carried out in Ireland last year under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act.

Consultant in obstetrics and gynecology, Professor Sam Coulter-Smith, says it is not clear how many women may have travelled to the UK for an abortion due to fatal foetal abnormalities.

While he also suggested that any change in Ireland's arrangements with Britain could affect these women's right to travel.

"We have to support people in this situation if they decide to stay and to remain pregnant and to deliver, then we need appropriate facilities and funding to provide those facilities to support people in that choice," he told Newstalk Breakfast.

"In the same way as if they choose to travel, that path needs to be supported."

"I suppose one of the fallouts from the recent potential exit of the UK from the EU is that the freedom of travel may be affected - and that will be something which will be important for this group of patients."

Ireland has an agreement known as the Common Travel Area with the UK, which has been in operation since the 1920s.

This allows us to move freely between the two countries.

But the future of the Common Travel Area with a British exit from the EU is unclear.

The Irish Government's Brexit contingency plan says there will be no immediate customs posts along the border, while negotiations are underway.

However it states: "It is difficult to imagine a situation where there will be no controls or checks on the movement of goods when the UK leaves the EU."

It comes as the Dáil is set to discuss proposed new legislation which would allow terminations in the case of fatal foetal abnormalities when babies are not expected to survive.