Six girls who were in the care of the Health Service Executive (HSE) have travelled to Britain for abortions over the past 20 years. The Children's Minister has confirmed that figure according to The Irish Times.
It is reported the girls who were under-18 had the terminations on suicide grounds. In each of the cases it is understood a psychiatrist was provided to assess their mental health.
The paper quotes Frances Fitzgerald as saying "I am advised by the HSE that six minors who were in State care were assisted in travelling abroad for abortions since 1992"
"In the interests of confidentiality and given the very low numbers involved the HSE is constrained from providing details of the individual cases. The HSE has confirmed that it acted within the legislation and in the best interests of the children involved in all cases".
Figures supplied by the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme
The most recent figures issued by the UK Department of Health show that there had actually been a decrease in the number of women giving Irish addresses at UK abortion clinics in 2011.
The HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme says this was the 10th successive year that a decrease had been recorded.
It adds that since 2001, the number of women giving Irish addresses at UK abortion clinics has decreased from 6,673 to 4,149 in 2011.
